


Trinity XXX

by Joy



Series: Trinity Universe - 2nd Series - Trinity [30]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Drama, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-26
Updated: 2014-08-25
Packaged: 2018-02-14 20:26:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 125,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2201946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joy/pseuds/Joy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fantasies granted in a vacation that never felt so freeing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Playground 1

**Author's Note:**

> Nothin' but porn, people. ;)

_"If I had a box just for wishes,_

_and dreams that had never come true,_

_the box would be empty, except for the memory_

_of how they were answered by you."_

_..._

 

 

Hammond sat reading the mission reports of the last unscheduled mission with a grim but relieved expression on his face. The new Beta Site had been attacked, though thankfully, it was not by the Goa'uld. Long-absent tenants had decided to return and reclaim what they had felt rightfully belonged to them.

Prior to the Beta Site's establishment, SG-1 had been among the teams scouting the possible location. Daniel had reported that there was evidence of prior inhabitants, but since they'd left no permanent structures or agricultural remains, they were likely nomadic. They also hadn't returned to the area for quite some time--at least a hundred years or more, going by planet time--so it was a safe assumption that they would not return. An area of twenty miles around the gate had been explored and Daniel's analysis had been proven correct.

No one had expected problems, so for six months it had been peaceful, barring the occasional nuisance of local wildlife. But three weeks earlier, a large tribe of nomadic people had come onto the site's established grounds, sporting weapons similar to 18th century technology, demanding that the Earth humans give up the land. There were 156 men and women living and working at the Beta Site, scattered throughout the site's twenty-mile radius, so those who were able to managed to call home for help.

Based on the historical evidence, the General was not about to remove his people and abandon the offworld base. He had sent several SG units and two medical teams. Six science teams were placed on stand-by. The emergency mission was to maintain control of the stargate and regain control of the Beta Site, rooting out their attackers.  The mission had taken three weeks to accomplish.

Hammond couldn't help but feel guilty. Though their long-deserved leave had been put on stand-by, SG-1 and SG-2 hadn't blinked; they'd done their respective jobs, retaining a calm, dignified leadership, and through their example, the SGC's personnel had followed. It was, in no small part, due chiefly to Jack O'Neill. There had been no complaining, no bitching, but rather, Jack had informed Hammond that no matter the leadership, personnel would get "...itchy and scratchy..." if their little amenities weren't sent regularly through. Since they'd easily reestablished control around the stargate, that hadn't been a problem. Daniel hadn't foreseen any problems maintaining control of it, either, since it was one thing the nomads had no interest in. He'd quickly concluded that since the nomads were travelers, the stargate represented nothing more a landmark for them; though Jack had commented that he would have seen to it that the nomads viewed it that way, one way or the other.

Everything that could be sent, was, especially coffee and tea. Booze had been smuggled in among the various authorized items as expected, but its use hadn't created problems. No informal reports or letters of reprimand had been sent back to the SGC, so Hammond had been inclined to overlook the inspection of the almost daily supply shipments.

Now, it was blissfully over. The teams had returned tired, cranky, but no worse for wear. Other personnel remained behind and the defense perimeter had been fortified just in case the nomads tried again.  Gratefully signing the two teams out, Hammond placed the forms in his secretary's "Urgent" box, grabbed his coat and hat and finally headed for home. He'd miss the close-knit teams but could stand to be without them for thirty days. Or at least, he crossed his fingers, he wouldn't need them for that long. The timing was decent; they'd be returning home just after Christmas.

He only hoped that, on their way out, his people refrained from another food fight in the mess hall; the janitors were still pissed from the last one.

 

________________________________________

 

Daniel was bone-tired when he finally stepped into his house and in no mood to deal with anyone, even his lovers. At the moment, his only interest lay in a long, hot shower and his warm, comfortable bed.

It was after 8 pm on a Saturday, the 27th of November, and he'd been thankful to have missed Thanksgiving. Ironic, that. While he loved the turkey dinners, the old tradition was something he willingly did without. Going through his mail, he tossed the two Christmas catalogs in the trash, shaking his head. The Christmas holiday was another mad holiday, one he could well do without and...

Daniel growled at himself, rubbing his forehead. He was irritable and his thoughts were bringing up old pet peeves and arguments, which only served to make his current headache worse.

He didn't bother with brewing any coffee and instead, made for the bathroom to shower and crawl into bed. Alone, unfortunately, but his lovers were just as fatigued as he was. A long restful sleep in a warm bed was something they not only needed but had to have before they snapped at each other with words they couldn't apologize for. It hadn't happened yet, but Daniel knew that their frustrations would have brought that on sooner or later if they weren't left alone for a while.

Funny thing was, now that he was home and his nerves were calming down from the constant alert status, Daniel no longer wanted to be alone. The last three weeks hadn't been easy and the lack of sex had made it worse. Jerking off had been limited, too; so much so that you actually had to 'plan' for it, which Daniel hated because he was a spur-of-the-moment kind of guy. Having to find a place to do it, then be careful you weren't heard, was...well, Daniel went without. He'd forced himself to concentrate on his work or their attackers.

Others hadn't been so chaste and pragmatic; they'd managed to find places to go. It got so that every private place possible was almost always occupied, even the storage sheds attached to the main building. While most missions inhibited sexual desires, having that one specific need curbed for three weeks had not a good thing.

Daniel looked down at his groin, sighing as he'd already started to harden. He was like a teenager--getting hard just by thinking about sex, nevermind the incidental brushes over his cock by inanimate objects like the edge of the damn countertop.

Tossing the towel in the hamper, he brushed his teeth, letting his mind wander. He tried not to think of his lovers or focus on the restlessness he felt, but it didn't last long. He wanted them there. He could call them, of course, but decided to leave it up to them if they wanted company. He would not ask; they were just as tired as he was, and Jack more so because, as ranking officer, he'd been the one in charge.

As the longing seemed to increase inside him, Daniel suddenly wished he could cut himself off like Teal'c was able to. Although he didn't see how Teal'c could, given his relationship with Sam. The man was a master of control and Daniel envied him. What he didn't envy was the toll that it would take on a relationship, and if he wasn't imagining things, Daniel could've sworn Teal'c and Sam were drifting apart. It saddened him. The long hours Sam and Teal'c put in--outside of their duties as SG-1--weren't good for a romantic relationship. Daniel wondered when or if they made time for each other. When he got back from his vacation, he intended to ask; he wanted his friends happy and worried when they weren't.

Thinking of Sam and Teal'c only heightened the loneliness he felt; he missed Jack and Jason. He missed their touches that would inevitably make him ignore a 9-point earthquake. Three weeks had been an extraordinarily long goddamn time.

Although, they'd actually gone without longer than that. A lot longer. But when you were with your lovers day after day after day and were unable to risk even the most innocent of touches, it only made you focus on getting it even more. He wanted to touch but wouldn't dare risk it but not because of what others would think. It was just that after a while, temptation ran like an unchecked fire so that even friendly touches started to take on an erotic charge whether you wanted them to or not.

The worst of the temptations had been finding themselves in each other's company--inside the communal showers. So alluringly close and yet so untouchable. To say those experiences had been maddening would be the understatement of the year. Try hiding an erection with strangers around. Not easy.

As the days stretched to weeks, Daniel had found himself preoccupied by the thoughts of an illicit grope, and how to initiate one. But he'd never been serious about it. Risky behavior for a leader, as he was among the civilians, just wasn't an option. If they had been on a normal mission, it would have been possible. Instead, fantasy had taken up his time, becoming a replacement for reality, and naturally, his fantasies had become elaborate during the rare occasions he'd been able to jerk off.

Just thinking of those fantasies had Daniel getting hard as hell, and plans of sleep took a detour. He wasn't held in check any longer, so what the hell was he waiting for? He stretched out in the center of his king-sized bed, lazily bringing his hand to his cock. Even though he was tired as hell, he needed relief; jerking off was a blissfully accommodating activity.

With his free hand, Daniel grabbed the lube from its permanent place under the pillow and popped the cap. He squeezed too much onto his cock, watching the clear gel ooze over his skin, flinching at how cold it was in comparison. He smeared it over his cock and took hold of the shaft with both hands. He held it tightly--oh so tightly--and thrust upward.

Fuck, that felt good.

He did it again and again, pumping his hips faster and faster, letting his fantasies emerge in his mind while unwilling to take his time. He was in no mood for teasing himself. The only delay, in fact, was in the images he focused on, replaying them over and over as they became more intense.

Current images were of the Beta Site, and one image in particular was of a busy storage shed.  He relived hearing the groans coming from there and worked his cock in a long, even rhythm. It wasn't the same as teasing; his technique was a building-up of his body, not just his cock. When he finally came, he'd feel it with the extra swelling of his cock just before he shot. His lovers had learned how to do this for him, and had also learned how to get it done quickly for those times when a prompt hand job was all they had time for.

Pre-come began to moisten the head of his cock and he smoothed it into the hot skin, his fingernail brushing over the slit. It sent a tremor through him and he combined it with the pumping of his shaft that eventually increased in speed. His breathing began to shorten and his skin warmed with the thin sheen of sweat.

Scenes in his mind also began to alter, fed from raw, unadorned lust that he only ever experienced with his lovers, in or out of jerk-off fantasy. Only his orgasm mattered, and the stronger the images, the more intense and longer lasting his orgasm would be. Embracing the nearly forbidden was always the catalyst; it sometimes leveled the tamer feelings, but what got him off every single time was the act of getting fucked so goddamn hard.

Like now. He was bent over one of those large round-edged metal storage containers, the ones usually filled with styrofoam for medical or scientific equipment. Their surfaces were cold, slick, and they had rounded hand grips along the sides -- good for holding onto. His fingers were there now, needing that feeling of holding on for dear life as he was taken.

Daniel squeezed his eyes shut, raising his ass for his lubed fingers, pushing in, moving with deliberate force and speed.  The scene in his mind replayed again and again, and Daniel would perfect it until he was ready to come and not a moment before: When he'd yell, begging to be fucked hard, shouting his lovers' names when they made him come. He thought of calling them, to have their voices bring him off, but he was close, so close, and couldn't stop...wouldn't stop...

.

Jack grinned like an idiot when he saw Jason's truck coming up behind him as he parked in Daniel's driveway. With a sudden hurriedness, he got out and the two met up at the door within seconds. There were no words, just eye contact, and the need that filled them.

Inside, they stared at each other as they removed their coats, taking in the other's stressed, aroused breathing. They heard a noise from down the hall and as one, held their breaths; Daniel was as fired up as they were, only he was doing something about it.

They didn't touch each other as they frantically stripped, making their way down the hall toward the bedroom. If they touched before they reached Daniel, they'd never get to him. All bets would be off, and this was something they desperately needed to share with Daniel. Control was a wonderful theory.

In the doorway, they came to a halt, catching sight of their lover displayed on the bed:  on his knees, ass in the air like an exquisite come-on while his face and chest were pressed into the mattress. He was fucking himself with his fingers while underneath, his hand was furiously pumping.

Jason groaned and with a quick suck on his fingers, he stepped behind Jack and sought out the delectable curve of his buttocks, middle finger smoothly pushing between the cleft as he slid down and in. He bit at the back of his lover's neck, as if that would hold him in place, and Jack grabbed for the door frame.

Jack growled, struggling to remain where he was, trying to decide which was better, watching Daniel or joining him. Not bothering any more with decision-making, he spread his feet apart, bending forward and rocking his hips... till Jason slid a finger inside, arousing him with a quick in-out.

Jack's reaction was immediate. He turned and threw his lover against the door, hands reaching for their cocks while he took Jason's mouth. Jason's groan made it better and he expertly pulled arousal from their bodies until Daniel's demanding voice brought their actions to a quick halt.

.

Daniel heard the sounds outside his bedroom and his actions intensified. They had come to him.

His need rose to an apex and when the room became heavy with his lovers' scents, he called out for them.  "Somebody fuck me!" he breathed erratically, his words thick and mumbled with his face mashed into the mattress. "Hard, brutal, fast!"

Jack looked at Jason and there was an unspoken decision:  whomever had the most energy would be the one to give Daniel what he wanted; Jason decided that it should be Jack. He pushed him in front as they reached the bed, the mattress dipping heavily.

Daniel groaned with implicit need as Jack settled in behind his sweating body and took hold of a hip to steady himself.

"I wasn't kidding!" Daniel implored when nothing happened right away.

"I know," Jack told him. He grabbed Jason's forearm before he moved to satisfy himself and ordered, "Stand over him and face me."

Taking the lube he'd found, Jason was already coating Jack's cock with it before Jack could ask what he was up to. "Give it to him," he said roughly, and followed it with a swift, hard kiss to Jack's mouth.

"I plan to," Jack said, and with a feral smile, took Daniel's hips in a bruising grip and sheathed his cock in one slick, forceful lunge.

"Oh fuck yeah!" Daniel cried out, pleased with how his body was suddenly stuffed, the burning heat reaching his gland with wonderful precision. He jacked himself harder, adjusting to the rhythm Jack quickly produced as the action matched the images in his mind.

Jason rose to his feet, planting them wide for balance, and took Jack's head in his hands. He slid the head of his cock between his lover's lips and into his wet, waiting mouth. His body trembled with pleasure when Jack sucked, hard and eager to match his own rhythm. Jason had to fight to remain standing, overcome with lust as he watched Jack bang away at Daniel's ass, giving him the brutality Jason knew and understood. He hoped to get his later.

No one could keep their release at bay; the first seconds of Daniel's orgasm were so acute that he lifted his body, his legs rigid and straight. There were no words; intead, his yell was drawn out as his come spurted onto the comforter. Not bothering to wait, needing to feel a cock in his mouth, he panted, "Jason, get down here."

Jason wanted to comply, but first, he needed a little more of Jack. He fell to his knees, straddling Daniel's body as his fingers found Jack's nipples and twisted. He cut off the groan his lover made with a bruising kiss, delighting in Jack's desperate reactions to Daniel's orgasm. His lover moved faster, harder, and Jason could see Daniel's white-knuckled grip of the bed. It was wonderful.

"Jason," Daniel called, getting his attention, and Jason pulled away finally and crawled to the head of the bed. His eyes were trained on Jack and he absently spread his legs as Daniel guided his body before his face.

Annoyed that Jason wasn't looking at him, Daniel got his attention a third time by biting his inner thigh. Jason flinched, and with a satisfied smile, Daniel followed the bite by taking his lover's balls into his mouth. Jason's hands were immediately clasped in his hair, holding on, thrusting into air when Daniel pulled his mouth away. "Impatient fucker, aren't we?"

"I wouldn't talk if I were you," Jason breathed, his eyes moving back to Jack's.

With a rebellious groan, Daniel swallowed Jason's cock to the root, swallowing again as he held Jason's hips in a bruising grip. Jason shouted his name, his hands flying overhead to grab the headboard. He came hard, jerking thrust after thrust as he shot down Daniel's throat.

Daniel only had enough time to grin smugly before Jack began assaulting his gland like a demon.

"Fucker," Daniel gasped, pulling Jason's cock from his mouth.

"Oh quite accurate, Daniel," Jack sent back with a laugh, then groaned, biting his lip against the tremors as his orgasm was ripped from him. He let loose one shot after another before pulling out and slumping down next to his lovers, sated, exhausted, and happy as hell.

Quite content to remain where he was, Daniel refused to let Jason go and used his lover's belly for a pillow as he lay between his legs. Languid in his afterglow, Jason didn't seem to care; he simply grabbed his pillow and placed it behind him, content to stay where he was.

Sometime later, Daniel opened his eyes from post-coital sleep and found himself wrapped snug between his two men. Jason, who had managed to move out from underneath, was now spooned behind, while Jack snuggled against his chest.

Daniel had a feeling he'd be reliving another version of this in the morning, but right now, he was sated enough to follow his lovers into a deep, restful sleep. He closed his eyes and dreamed of sex.

.

Waking rather late at 7:35, Daniel smiled happily down at his lovers who'd slept in for once. After his morning shower and clean-up, Daniel made for the kitchen to get his coffee. He was about to make breakfast when he spied a large envelope on the floor under the coats by the front door. Picking it up, he found it wasn't a mailed item, so Jason or Jack had apparently dropped it last night. He grinned and dropped it on the kitchen table before turning back to fix something to eat.

Memory of last night brought a smile to his face. Their arrival had been perfect; as had Jack's actions. Surprisingly, his ass was only a little sore from the treatment he'd begged for. God, that had been good. Perfect. Daniel absently rubbed his cock against the front facing of the counter as he cracked several eggs into a bowl. His thin boxers made it better. He knew he'd be in the mood this morning but told himself after breakfast would be a better time. And probably later than that if he could stave things off and make himself wait even longer.

The coffee was finally done, and setting down the bowl of eggs, he made himself a cup, inhaling the steamy aroma with contentment as he sipped. He glanced at the envelope on the table and grew curious but before he could be tempted, he heard a noise down the hall and made his way to investigate.

Jack was still in bed, amazingly enough, lying on his stomach and apparently dozing, but Jason was in the bathroom, turning on the shower as he brushed his teeth.

"Mornin'," Daniel greeted, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Mornin'," Jason said around his toothbrush.

"You dropped an envelope by the door," Daniel told him, letting Jason see his curiosity.

Jason grinned and pulled the toothbrush from his mouth. "You didn't open it, did you?"

Daniel slapped his lover's ass. "No, but I want to know what's in there. Have you been downloading porn pics again?"

Jason snorted. "Funny." He spit and rinsed. "I'll show you during breakfast. Jack and I were plotting ideas for our leave time while we were on Beta."

"Is that what you two were talking about when I thought you were talking about work?"

Jason rinsed again and stepped down into the sunken bath. "Sometimes," he said, and pulled the curtain around the lip of the bath.

Grumbling, Daniel turned to leave. "Brat."

Jason pulled aside the curtain and peeked through. "Wanna join me?" he asked, waggling his wet brows.

"No, I want you to hurry up so I can find out what you're planning."

Jason closed the curtain. "Remember what Jack asked you about role play?"

"Yeah."

"That's your hint."

Growling, Daniel left.

.

"Here," Jason said as he pushed Daniel into the dining room chair. Jack walked past, kissing Daniel on the head as he went, and filled his coffee mug. "I'll finish breakfast." Daniel had been in the middle of cutting up peppers and onions for the omelet, so Jason took the knife from Daniel's hand and replaced it with the envelope. "Open it."

Propping his feet up on another chair, Daniel picked up the envelope and pulled out a printed letter. Before reading it, he accepted a refill from Jack and asked, "So, wanna tell me what this is?"

"While we were on the Beta site, Jason and I got together and talked about what we could do on leave, and we left you out of it because we wanted to surprise you. So, here's the question:  Would you care to spend the next thirty days in an expensively lavish bungalow on the coast of an Hawaiian island?"

Daniel choked, and Jack laughed an apology as he slapped Daniel's back twice.

"Does that pompous idiot of linguistic inaccuracy, whose name shall not be spoken, suck like a hoover?" Daniel answered the question, looking back and forth between his snickering lovers.

"Guess that answers that question," Jason commented as he turned the omelet.

"Sorry, Daniel," Jack went on, "but I had to see the look on your face when I hit you with where we're going."

"Cute," Daniel interjected.

Jack rewarded him with one of those sexy, lopsided grins. "Whether or not you wanted to go ahead with this other idea we have, we all get to have thirty days in the sun and sand, and away from winter."

A huge smile slowly spread across Daniel's face. "And the other idea is...?"

Jack nudged the paper at him. "Depending on our moods, spending the first few days in role play."

Daniel refrained from choking this time, having made sure his mouth was empty beforehand. "Role play? Like what we were doing before this last mission? Like that little scene you pulled on me?" He felt his cheeks grow warm as he remembered that night at Jason's after the Halloween bash, when he found himself in an impromptu role play, blindfolded and tied. His lovers' expressions answered in the affirmative. "Are you suggesting something like it or..."

"Not exactly. Read the letter, Daniel," Jason said as he poured the omelet mixture into the waiting pan.

"And read it out loud," Jack added, "just to remind me what Jason typed up."

Daniel's brows rose. "You didn't read what he wrote?"

Jack exchanged a glance with Jason, who rolled his eyes. "I offered," Jason said.

With a sigh, and a longer drink from his mug, Daniel picked up the letter.

"Greetings, Oh Sexy-as-Fuck Love of My Life:

Right now, I'm typing this while you sleep, though I would much rather be fucking you at this moment.

"Yeah, so why aren't you?" Daniel asked and took another drink, eyeing Jason over the rim.

Jason looked up from the pan he was supervising and gave Daniel a dangerous smile. "Don't even dare me. I've strange energy levels this morning."

Jack cleared his throat, making Daniel snicker.

"Here's the setting that Jack and I have come up with. If there is anything that you *strongly* disagree with, let me know. I say strongly because for proper role play to work, and not be boring, some of it must be thrilling, and maybe a little uncomfortable because it's delving into unknown territory. We all know how that can engender both those emotions.

As with any role-play, like our first one, we keep our names. But here's where things change:

You are a Professor of Anthropology at the Academy. You know two very fuckable (though you're trying hard not to notice) men named Jack and Jason, who're Aviation Instructors. They have lunch with you every so often, perhaps once a week. They occasionally charter personal flights as a business on the side. Given that you like to travel to exotic locations where archaeological or anthropological activities are underway, you periodically express interest in a chartered flight but have yet to find a place you'd like to go.

This morning, you received a letter from 'Jason' about a flight offer...and possibly more:

Daniel looked up from the letter. "Shall I assume that this Jason and Jack are luring this Daniel with a visit to an island that has a dig site underway?"

Jack grinned. "Read, Daniel."

With a sigh, Daniel read on.

"Dear Daniel:

"Over the numerous times we've spent together having lunch or coffee, Jack and I have become quite fond of you. We've taken a more personal interest in finding out more about you. I don't want you to panic. We haven't been stalking you. We simply like you a lot and want to see if we could become deeper friends. Because you're a very private person, we've figured out enough to know that we couldn't ask you outright about your sexual preferences. You've never said anything about your love life, so Jack and I have been dropping enough hints that we are lovers to see how you'd react. During that time, you've never shown surprise or disgust, you've never questioned us, as if being around gays were normal and comfortable for you.

"I am sure that you remember that we accidentally ran into you at that ski house and coffee emporium over in Aspen. We were surprised because it's a known meeting spot for gays to feel free to visit without threat of harassment.  You said you were there with the Archaeology Department, having a busman's holiday. Jack and I thought that was a ruse to placate us and keep us at arm's length, so we went along. We don't know who you were with, since we were kind of occupied at the time, but we were definitely pleasantly surprised when we saw you. I have to reveal that it was great fun to see you pretend not to watch us, even though we knew you were, especially when we went to the spa.

"We would like to ask you for more, if you are willing. Nothing will happen that you do not wish to happen, but we have found an opportunity for the three of us to spend time together. Frankly, we want to find out if you're interested in us, so we're asking you out on a "working" date, inviting you to come with us on an archaeological survey. We heard about it through another pilot and thought you'd like to go. The site is on a very tiny island southwest of the Marshall Islands. Apparently some bones of a strange looking humanoid were found there but that's all we know.

"So far, the weather is a go. There is a bungalow on the island that we can rent so we've gone ahead and done so. All you have to do is pack for a three-day trip, or longer if you think it might be something taking a chance on investigating. The bones as well as us.

"We will be at the private airstrip west of the Academy in two days and would like to leave in the morning. We will have to stop off in Honolulu for refueling and the entire flight should take about 16 hours. It's a long time, but it should be worth it. Jack and I plan to take turns flying the plane, with each of us getting some rest so there won't be any need to worry about our flying the plane under fatigue conditions.

"We look forward very much to taking you with us, Daniel. Please do yourself, and us, a favor, and don't say no.

Your friends always, no matter what your decision may be,

Jason and Jack"

What he said is true, Daniel. Except for the location of the island. Jack has a friend who owns a bit of land on the island of Kauai, so that will be the setting. We won't really be flying straight there in a charter plane, but fly to Honolulu and take a small charter plane from there. The only access to this place is by plane because it sits inside a cove surrounded by cliffs, waterfalls, and a long white beach. It does have a yard, built by the owner, so there're small shade trees and grass to lie in, or run in. Jack says it's breathtaking, at least when he was there fifteen years ago. It's not a very big place I'm told but very private and secluded. Which means we don't need clothes. Oh, and there really are bones on the island, imbedded in the cliff face, fossils of old birds, I think.

I am really looking forward to this vacation and have only one question:  If we play the roles, how far are you willing to go yourself, and how far are you willing to let us go? Remember, this other Jack and Jason cater to their selfish needs. They want you, and bringing your alter-ego out of the closet is something they feel is their duty to do, but they're sexual creatures above everything else. They'll explore lots of sexual ideas, including some of the more elaborate bondage games. Jack says that his friend has a few toys but wouldn't say what they were, only that he didn't play. Since Jack's only played those games with us, I can pretty much guarantee that this will definitely be an area of exploration for all of us, but whether or not it's exciting, who knows.

I have to say that I have plans for my alter-ego. He's a very bad boy, Daniel, and not above doing some unethical things to make those he likes happy as well as himself. His motto tends to be, "If they like it, I'll see to it they like it better than they thought.'  I think the same can be said for his mate. All they really want to do is make their duo a trio. So what do you say?

Love,

Jace

 

Daniel stared at the letter, his brow furrowed, and didn't look up at his lovers quite yet. "Hmmm."

Jason rolled his eyes at Jack. "I told you he'd have a problem with it."

"Yeah, you did. Shut up."

Daniel looked up sharply without actually raising his head. "It's not exactly a problem with the role play itself. Just my... character, if you will."

A slow grin grew across Jack's lips. "Want to tell us what you object to?"

Daniel took a breath, trying to focus on what bothered him. "Okay, you... or rather, your alter-ego...talk about how private I am and how you seem to think I'm some sort of...virgin." A tiny, mischievous smile started to form.

Jason started to pretend to fuss with the omelet, not looking at Daniel. "And?"

"Well, not that I object to your...deflowering...fantasy--"

Jack guffawed and ended up spitting his coffee back into his mug.

"--but what makes you think I'm a virgin in anything?"

Jason blinked at him, looking sheepish. "I'm s--"

"No, no, Jace, that's not what I mean. I don't mind what you've come up with, but I'm just going to give you...and your alter-ego...something to think about."

"Does that mean you're okay with the role play?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes, Jason, relax. But let's not plot this out. We'll play it by ear in how things go because telling you what I'll do, or you telling me what you'll do, will, I think, spoil it."

Jason smiled and stared at the omelet pan. "Cool."

"I agree," Jack echoed around the rim of his mug.

Jason then cast a sideways look at Daniel. "So what do we have to think about?"

Daniel gave both his lovers another mischievous grin and tilted his head. "Perhaps what you believe about Professor Jackson is exactly what Professor Jackson wants you to believe."

"So he's pretending?" Jack asked.

"Perhaps," Daniel answered, his eyes alight with mischief. His stomach was also in knots of excitement. Only a few minutes before, he hadn't been thrilled with Jason's quick work up of Professor Jackson, but his mind had suddenly grasped that if Jason's and Jack's characters were hiding some of their real intentions, then perhaps Daniel was hiding, too. But in Daniel's case, what you saw was only what he wanted you to see. "Professor Jackson might just prove to be more than you can handle."  At his words, Jack and Jason began to worry a little bit and Daniel snorted. "Don't worry. It'll be fine."

"But keep something in mind while you eat your omelet," Jason told him, walking over with the pan as he cut the omelet into thirds and slid Daniel's portion onto his plate, then served himself and Jack.

"What's that?" Daniel asked as he got up to get the bacon and refill his coffee.

"Don't take too long to..." he began, but paused, glancing at Jack while he searched for the words.

Jack picked up on the meaning in Jason's words. He leaned back into his chair with a wicked grin on his face. "Just this. If you plan on playing hard to get, making us work at getting you into bed, remember that we have an outlet. You don't. So, um, don't stretch it out, okay?"

"Get out of my head," Jason told Jack with a sardonic grin.

Daniel paused as he slowly eased himself into his seat, narrowing his eyes at his lovers. After a moment's thought, he took a bite of his omelet and let his emotion show through the playful look about his eyes. "Guess that means I get to brush up on my voyeurism and you two get to brush up on your exhibitionism."  Their eyes widened in surprise, making Daniel snicker to himself as he chewed. "You guys crack me up."

They began to eat and the more Daniel thought about his role, and how Jason had described it, he realized that something was bothering him. "Jace, I have a question about...interpretation."

"Shoot."

"When you mean your character is a bit unethical, and I'll assume you mean sexually, what precisely does that mean? See, the virgin fantasy I get, but it also sounds a little like...well, a rape fantasy, which I don't get. Not from you or Jack."

Jason frowned. He hadn't exactly thought of it that way so for a few minutes he thought over all the implications and psychological angles. Finally, he took a deep breath. "It's not a rape fantasy, but I can see how you'd think it might be. If your character were an aggressive tease that invited rape as opposed to being overpowered and taken," and he made quotation gestures with his fingers, "then that might apply, but I don't think it is. I equate rape fantasy with violence and non-consent. That isn't the case here, because we all know what we want and what will, eventually, happen. None of us could fake actual non-consent, but we can fight, forcing the other into a dominating sort of role where we voluntarily give up our control. Doing any real damage, sexual or otherwise, isn't something we're capable of because we're not angry."

"Right. Pretending to put up a fight only makes it more..." Jack added.

"Desirable?" Daniel asked. He knew what they were saying, and with relief, he nodded. "I get it. Aggression, but without hostility."

"Exactly," Jason said, gesturing his hand out. He then snickered and the unspoken question was there on his lovers' faces. "Sorry. I was remembering an article I'd read online. I was reading these news bits from a newspaper and there was this one real life story where people gather to chat about rape fantasy role playing. This one man and woman had actually agreed to meet up and act out the rape fantasy. He would break in into her house, assault her, rape her, then be on his way."

Daniel and Jack's expressions reflected exactly what they thought of that.

"I know," Jason went on, "and the story is amusing in a black humor sort of way. The man broke into the wrong house and when the woman put up more of a fight than he was told she would, and actually kneed him in the balls--"

"Good for her," Daniel interjected.

"--the guy gets upset and asks her why she changed her mind about their plans. The woman then tells him that she has no idea what he's talking about. The police were called in and the guy went to jail for a month or so, I forget how long, for assault, but not attempted rape. The story never did say what happened to the woman who wanted to be raped but I assume she decided to hide. Whether she came out and told the police she was the intended victim, I don't know, but it might explain why he was given a sentence for assault and not rape. Anyway, I bring this story up because it's an example of what I call a rape fantasy, with the use of assault. I only plan to..."

"What?" Daniel asked with a small grin.

"Wrestle you into acceptance."

"Ah," Daniel answered, the grin still on his lips. He was also beginning to feel just a bit too warm. "Are you planning on tying me up?"

Jason smiled widely. "There's the big difference between this kind of role play and other kinds. It would be hard to tie you up, for instance, if you really fought me. I don't mind giving you a few soft bruises," and he received an enigmatic smile from Daniel in reaction, "but not to the extent where you feel them and they inhibit your movements. I think perhaps a little lying and gentle, seductive coercion is more the name of this game."

Daniel nodded at his words. He was also wishing that they were already on the island so he could get this started. His dick was tending to agree with him as it woke up again. Clearing his throat, he continued his questions. "The next question is how far is too far? We have our fantasies that we're willing to act out and then there's the temptation to act out what we're afraid of showing but is something that gets us hard anyway. I know there are places we're not willing to go, but what about the places we'd like to go but are afraid to? I'm not thinking of examples right now but what about during the role play? If there's a direction we want to go but we're not sure about, we should call a 'time out'. Alternately, if any of us doesn't understand what the other person is doing, even if they like it, we should call 'time out' and ask where the other's coming from."

"Agreed," Jack replied as he bit into a piece of bacon and Jason nodded with him.

In thinking about how far was too far, Daniel suddenly had a couple of ideas. The second idea he wasn't sure about how his lovers would react, especially Jason. He should be worried about Jack, but something told him that Jack would be okay about it. Jason, on the other hand, was a different story altogether.

He held his peace until breakfast was finished and after they'd cleaned up. He sat down at the opposite end of the table to where Jack was sitting and when he looked up, he caught Jason studying him from across the kitchen. He figured that his silence might have been a giveaway. Jack, too, seemed to be regarding him as if waiting for whatever shoe to drop.

"I've been thinking..." he began and gestured at the table for Jason to sit down. Regarding him warily, Jason sat down next to Jack.

Jack smirked and turned the page on his newspaper, refolding it. "I was wondering when you'd say something."

Daniel shrugged, trying to look matter-of-fact, but knew he wasn't succeeding. "Well, two ideas. The first is about fantasy fulfillment, and going where we don't normally go. The second idea, however, might be a problem. Depends, I guess, on your moods."

His lovers seemed to take in identical breaths. "Go on," Jason said first.

"Okay. I don't think the initial role play idea will last a week. We'd get bored...or rather, I'll get bored. Since fantasy is on menu, why don't we take advantage of our month-long vacation and spend that time devoted to fulfilling fantasies. At least the ones we're capable of fulfilling, that is."

Jack and Jason looked to be thinking it over, but Daniel already knew he had them sold by the quirking of their lips as they both refused to smile...too quickly.

"Got any fantasies you're particularly thinking of?" Jack asked.

Daniel shrugged again. "Not specifically, no, but the second idea I had sparked the first."

"Isn't that usually the other way around?" Jason asked.

Daniel smirked at him. "Usually. This idea isn't really a fantasy but more of an opportunity to take advantage of a situation."

"Okay, spill, Daniel," Jason said impatiently.

"Um, I was thinking that we could invite someone during the second week, maybe ten days after our leave starts. They could stay there with us for a few days...or more if they want to and we want them to."

"Who is it?" Jason asked, his patience wearing a little thinner.

"If he's agreeable... Alex."

Jason's eyes widened in surprise and just a little guilt. "Why?"

Daniel looked over at Jack and his expression told Daniel the only thing he needed to know: he liked the idea. Now there was only convincing Jason.

"It's not a test, is it?" Jason suddenly asked, though he knew that wasn't it.

"Do I need to answer that?" Daniel asked just a shade too sharply and Jason sighed and turned in his seat.

"I think I see why," Jack said before Daniel could speak, "but I'll let Daniel explain it."

"Well, someone enlighten me because I can't see the reason," Jason replied, crossing his arms.

Jack recognized the curious and amused expression on Daniel's face. He had it as well. Jason's posture was defensive, but his lovers recognized the underlying arousal. Because Jason was theirs, and they were his, he would keep his desire for Alex hidden away in his mind, saved there for unspoken and unrealized fantasy. It's what they all did with anyone they were attracted to outside of their relationship. But what if, given the conditions Daniel now suggested for their leave time, they brought Alex into their fantasy games, allowing Jason to act out a fantasy he never would have under ordinary circumstances?

"Because," Daniel started, "you desire him and he's easily accessible. If he agrees, and you agree, and he comes to the island, then..."  He briefly looked over at Jack, who took over.

"Then Daniel and I would also fulfill a fantasy, and a rather common one at that."

"And that would be?" Jason asked, though he had a pretty good idea.

"To watch their lover fuck or be fucked by someone else," Daniel finished. He gave them both a playful grin. "Seems the theme of voyeurism will actually be part of the fantasies."

The three were quiet for a few minutes while Jason mulled everything over. In the end, however, he agreed, as he knew he would.

Now they just had to talk to Alex.

"Okay, so who gets to call him?" Jason asked, suddenly not up to doing it himself and feeling like a coward.

"I will," Daniel offered.

"No, it'd be better coming from me," Jack argued. "Considering what happened last time, he might be confused."

There was a two-minute argument over that, but in the end, it was still Jack who made the phone call. He didn't want to ask over the phone, however, and instead, asked Alex to meet him in the park near the mall since all of them were going to be out and about running errands.

Before he left, he turned to Daniel and Jason and exhibited a bit of nervousness himself.

"What?" Daniel asked.

Jack gave Jason a look he could only interpret as guilty and Jason frowned. "What?" he echoed.

"At the island property, in the second bungalow, there's a room he keeps locked." Jack cleared his throat. "It was there years ago when I last visited. He asked if I wanted to use the room and I had to truthfully tell him that I didn't know. So, in a package letter I got at my house yesterday, he included the key to the room."

Daniel became amused at Jack's sudden embarrassment. "Is he Bluebeard or something?"

"Or the Marquis de Sade?" Jason asked, just as amused.

Jack cleared his throat again, his face flushing. "I didn't tell you guys one thing about him, and it's something that I knew about, but I never involved myself in. He's a player in the BDSM scene and that room is a special playroom he built." His lovers' eyes grew slightly. "He told me there were a few changes but there are the typical toys like hoods, dildos, whips, bondage devices." Their eyes grew wider. "He said that what he added to the room was a device he designed himself. All he would say after that was that it has a name."

"A name?" Jason asked quietly. Why was his heart pounding so hard?

Daniel, too, was asking himself the same question, but he had no trouble interpreting the reason his dick was hard.

"This guy has a strange sense of humor where religion is concerned, and found it amusing to call it Christian."

"Christian?" Daniel asked with a bit of alarm. "He didn't design an iron maiden, did he?"

"Erm, no. He calls Christian his... robotic sex doll."

There really was nothing to say to that, but each man knew damn well that one of the things they'd be looking at when they got there was that special room...and knowing damn well that sooner or later, they would find themselves using its toys.

.

Alex showed early and sat at the designated picnic table, drumming his fingers on the aged, wooden top. Colonel O'Neill, Jack, hadn't let on what the meeting was about, and while that made him nervous, Alex didn't sense anything was wrong. He didn't know, however, if that was bad or good. After a few minutes, Jack's truck appeared and he strolled over, sitting down across from Alex.

"You look nervous?" he said, clearly enjoying that Alex was.

"I've no clue why we're meeting, sir, so yes, I'm nervous. Is this about Jason?"

Jack gave him a sympathetic smile. "Nothing to worry about, Captain. Or rather, Alex, because this is a personal conversation, so you can drop the 'sir' and call me Jack."

Alex's eyes widened to saucers. "Oh."

Without wasting any time, Jack asked, "You're on leave for thirty, like the rest of us?"  Alex nodded. "Do you have plans for that time?"

Alex shook his head, looking a little sheepish. "Not until the week of Christmas. Until then, I planned only to spend money on buying gifts and rearranging my apartment with new furniture. Nothing really important." He wanted to ask why but it would be redundant.

"Tomorrow, Daniel, Jason, and I are heading to Kauai. I've a friend who owns some land there with a couple of bungalows. We were wondering if you'd like to meet us there next weekend?"

Since it was Sunday, Alex, thought, he had a little bit of time to get some stuff done. The plane fare to Hawaii shouldn't be that expensive, and he didn't have to... "You're inviting me to stay in one of the bungalows?"

Jack nodded.

Alex's next thought was to Jason. "Why?"

Jack let out a sigh. "Because we'd like you there. This vacation of ours is one where we're immersing ourselves into escaping reality. We're going to Fantasy Island, in other words. I can promise you that you won't regret it, but I'm not going to let you know about anything else until after you've gotten on a plane and flown down there. I hope you can understand."

"Well that's nice and enigmatic," Alex answered, not needing to think it over. He was going, no matter what, but now he was even more intrigued. Was Jack referring to sexual fantasy? From the look in his eyes, Alex would say he was, and the reason he thought so was because he'd never seen that particular look in the man's eyes before. Then something occurred to him and his hopes were put on hold. "When you said 'we', did you include Jason? Does he know you're asking me to the island?"

Jack stood and put on his sunglasses, giving Alex a strange grin that he could only interpret as seductive. "He knows and wants you there. I'm here asking because we thought it would be better coming from me, just so you know that the jealous god is dead."

"Oh. Okay."

"So does that mean we'll see you in a week?"

"Yeah," Alex said without hesitation. He stood up and Jack offered him a card.

"My sat phone cell. When you get into the main airport, give a call and I'll come fly you out."

"You?" Alex asked. "I don't need to take a shuttle flight to Kauai?"

"Nope. You can't get to the spot without doing a lot of hiking and rappelling. I'll have a seaplane docked on the shore. Oh, and remember, Hawaii is four hours earlier than Colorado, so remember that if you get an early flight in."

Alex grinned. "I'll remember." He held out his hand, feeling even more strange when Jack gripped it warmly and gave him a caring slap on the shoulder.

"In a week then," he said, and strolled back to his truck.

Alex watched him leave, but he didn't really see him. He was too astonished to see anything outside himself. All he seemed to be able to focus on was the memory of how Jason looked when he was aroused with lust.

 

________________________________________

 

 

For I Have Come to the Depth of my Tale

 

The flight down was uneventful, and they'd made sure that they kept a change of clothes in their carry-on bags. Once the islands were in sight, each man changed in the bathroom, substituting his jeans for a pair of denim shorts, and their heavier shirts for sleeveless tees; in Jason's case, the muscle shirts he tended to wear. This one was red, while Daniel's and Jack's t-shirts were white.

The view into Honolulu airport gave each of them the beginnings of their proper frame of mind...and mood. Anticipation and anxiousness filled Daniel as he carried his bags and walked across the tarmac toward the seaplane Jack had reserved. Jason and Jack flanked him and none of them spoke until they'd reached the plane and began to load their baggage through the rear.

As Daniel let Jason and Jack load theirs first, he stood to one side, but kept himself close enough to smell the light body cologne they wore which mingled with their sweat. He was suddenly immersed in thoughts that he would likely have if he were Professor Jackson, not Doctor Jackson, and his body tingled with arousal.

Jason met his eyes as he moved back, out of the way, letting Daniel put in his luggage. A tiny smile spread across his mouth and there was amusement behind his questioning eyes. Jason didn't ask why Daniel was looking at him like that, and for the moment, Daniel wasn't inclined to elaborate.

Jack purposely stepped past him to close the rear hatch door, not letting Daniel do it himself. It was a signal to Daniel, whether Jack meant it as one or not.

"I believe it's time, gentlemen," Daniel said softly, his slightly different tone more formal than usual.

The play was on.

His lovers exchanged glances and after returning their eyes to his, they nodded once. Daniel silently climbed aboard and took one of the four secondary seats behind the two pilot chairs. After Jason and Jack settled in, Jack made his pre-flight checks and called the tower for clearance and heading. Butterflies filled Daniel's stomach as Jack taxied down the runway. He began to focus on investigating the human remains that Jason had told him about, yet those thoughts weren't foremost on his mind and that annoyed him. He'd accepted their offer, telling himself that they'd get nowhere with him, that he was there for business, not pleasure.

But it was a type of lie. Underneath the eagerness to examine the remains was the distracting knowledge that these two men, who were really nothing more than casual acquaintances, were there not to take him to a possible archaeological site, but to get him alone, and vulnerable to their planned seduction.

Jason's letter hadn't hidden their intentions, but the politeness was pretended, and it told Daniel other things about the said planned seduction. These men liked the type of sex that circled the norm. Roughness was definitely the primary method, and bondage was certainly one of the tools. They may appear gentle and soothing but instinct told Daniel that that was only what lay on the surface. He was quite certain, though, that neither of them was into rape or pain-giving, and he was profoundly relieved.

One thing Daniel did know very well was himself.  If he'd any objections to what kind of men Jack and Jason were, or what they had planned, Daniel wouldn't have accepted their offer. While the seduction was purposely vague, it did not hide the fact that Daniel was certain of one more thing.

He was going to be fucked. Probably by both. He didn't really have a problem with that, even though it had been a while. What he had a problem with was doing that sort of thing on someone else's terms. While the thought was scary and exciting at the same time, deep down, Daniel missed sex and missed being fucked. But he couldn't bring himself to release his control. Being fucked was going to be his way and no one else's.

"You're very heavily into your own thoughts," came Jason's voice. Daniel was startled to realize that Jason was sitting in the chair next to him. "Penny for them."

Daniel shrugged and looked through the small window. "Just thinking of the site, that's all. What's the food situation? I noticed a few containers back here with the rest of our things, so I'm wondering if they contain food. Is there electricity? At the very least, a generator to run a refrigerator and a hot water heater?"

"Relax, Daniel," said Jack as he angled the plane further out across the water and away from land. He had to come in at their bungalow location from the sea and at low altitude. "There's electricity, but there're also four generators meant to keep the food cold and the water warm. In this weather, I don't think you want the water hot, do you?"

Daniel smiled, still thinking in terms of Colorado. "The change in weather will take a day to get used to."

"Not me," Jason said with slow precision. "The minute we're there, the clothes are off."

"I hope you tan easily," Daniel said with a warning tone that was neither surprised nor embarrassed. If Jason expected a modest, prudish reaction, he didn't get it.

Jason gave him a smile. "I tan easily everywhere. I plan to get rid of the lines I developed during the winter."

Daniel loved that idea and images gave his cock a tweak. He gave Jason a small grin and returned his gaze out of the window.

"What are you looking at?" Jason asked as he leaned over him, his shoulder brushing Daniel's, his face close to his.

Daniel turned his head slightly, and for a second, allowed himself to admire the curved upper lip he wanted to kiss swollen. He allowed himself to inhale the muskiness that came easily through Jason's sleeveless shirt. But regretfully, he had to put an end to it. He told himself that this was a private tease to make things better when he finally allowed Jason to touch him, but he wasn't all that happy about it.

He leaned back a little and gave Jason a slightly annoyed look. "It's nothing but the edge of an island and a lot of water. You know that, Jason, and can see it clearly from your seat." He followed his terse but fondly expressed words by gently pushing Jason back with the back of his arm.

"Sorry," Jason said with a sheepish look.

To Daniel, he looked more wolflike than anything else and that made his desire all the more palpable. Damn the man. Jason gave him a wider, more predatory smile, then got up slowly from his chair, making sure their knees touched, and returned to the co-pilot's seat and buckled in. Daniel willed his heart rate to go down, as well as his cock, which was thankfully only at half-mast, not full salute.

Jack was likely to be as flirtatious as Jason and Daniel suddenly wondered if he could withstand the double onslaught. Could he actually give in to their obvious desire? Possibly. If so, how long would it take? He suddenly wasn't so sure it would take a day. He glanced at his watch, already reset to the proper local time. It was only 1:30 pm, even though his body said it was later. Jet lag was going to be weird. He'd be getting up in the morning when it was long before sunrise.

Fifteen minutes later, Daniel watched as Jack angled their approach and he got a look at where they were going. Tiny and dollhouse-looking, the two reddish buildings sat to the right of a small inlet which seemed to be fed by a waterfall coming from the top of the green-covered cliffside. As they got closer, Daniel saw how it emptied into an oval lagoon edged by a small, white sandy beach. A spread of short grass made up what looked like a backyard and Daniel frowned.

"Who mowed the lawn?" he asked sarcastically, even knowing the answer beforehand.

Jack returned the sarcastic tone. "This is a rental area, Daniel, so it's always kept up."

"Right," Daniel drawled, grinning at having provoked Jack into answering. When he caught the side of Jack's face, he also caught him grinning. Not much of a provocation then, but that was okay. It helped create the mood. The place around him already made him feel as if no one else but the three of them existed. That made more butterflies form because it was likely going to be true for the next three days.

For some reason, Daniel did not mind that at all.

.

The plane landed in the water with Jack's usual skill and circled to the left, smoothly coming alongside the short, shallow dock that skirted the white shoreline. The water pushed up onshore, making tiny furrows in the sand as the plane came to a rest.

Jack and Jason brought out their baggage and set it on the wooden dock before going back for the storage containers. Jack hadn't answered Daniel's question about what was inside the containers yet and wasn't really planning on it, either.

"Food?" Daniel asked, pointing.

Jack shrugged and gave him a lopsided grin. "Yes, Daniel, food." He paused for a second, letting his grin spread into one of his charming smiles. He was up to something. "Did you think we carried something nefarious in them?"

Daniel twisted his mouth in an effort not to smile and bent down to pick up a bag. "Just asking," he said under his breath.

Jack exchanged fond grins with Jason as they picked up their own baggage. Jason walked past Daniel but turned to look over his shoulder. "Over there, by the waterfalls, are your fossils, Daniel. We can go over as soon as we've settled."

Daniel didn't know if Jason was sincere or not, but he gave the lagoon and the waterfall a look. It seemed like any other, beautiful in its simplicity, and the mist that sprayed up from the falling water made it more so. Small rainbows reflected off the heat of the large stones that lay to the land side, blocking easy access to the waterfall. Daniel couldn't help but wonder if anything sat behind the fall, as was the case with some. A cave, perhaps? Or maybe just an open area of flat rock worn smooth by the constant onslaught of the water. He would like to take a look, he had to admit.

Another thought occurred to him and he looked back at Jason, who was no longer watching him but was several yards ahead now, heading for the side steps that led to a deck which seemed to surround the first of two bungalow buildings. The buildings were long and low, with nearly flat roofs. The color of the wood was a russet, a deep color that blended wonderfully with their surroundings. The deck was a lighter shade, and expertly crafted and put together. Several wine casks, halved, had been turned into planters and placed around the deck. Some contained dwarf palms which decorated each side of the front door.

As they approached it, however, Daniel asked, "Is this one mine?"

Jack shook his head and pointed to the second one that sat twenty yards to the right and a bit further back. "Want some help with your things?" he asked with a not-so-subtle glint in his eye.

Daniel sighed and gave Jack a tolerant smile. "I carried them from the shore, Jack. I think I can manage another twenty yards."

Jack only laughed. "Fair enough, but I'll have to open it, and get the windows while I'm at it."

Before Daniel could say anything, Jack headed over in a jog, trying to look casual, but he was anything but.

"I'll help," Jason called after him, deliberately avoiding Daniel's gaze. He trotted off, knowing that Jack wasn't just planning to open windows.

Daniel knew that, too. His lovers wanted a look at that 'special' room, but without his being there. That irked somewhat, but they were in role play and he knew that none of them wished to break it just for the consideration in seeing the room together. Daniel decided then that they could have their look, so he purposely took his time getting there.

As he set his things down to needlessly rearrange how he would carry them, Daniel suddenly realized that he didn't really mind the separation. And perhaps for the same reason as his lovers. He needed to see it without them. Whatever lay in that room, no matter how one might joke offhandedly about it, it would likely elicit erotic feelings. They might not cater to that kind of scene, but Jason was very much into bondage and Jack liked a certain version of spanking. As for himself, Daniel liked breaking limits, whether it be through losing control via bondage or...hitting Jack on the ass.

That last thought got him thinking, and his cock began to stiffen a little. There was a certain thrill in wondering just what sort of tools--toys--would be available in that room; ones that he could use on Jack, on Jason. Or perhaps, even on himself?

Without their eyes watching him, Daniel had to discover that room by himself. He was abruptly reminded of a masque he'd attended in college a million years ago. It had been an old-fashioned one--or so he'd thought. The masks that people had worn reminded him of the masks depicted in paintings, worn by those in the medieval centuries who wallowed in decadence.

It wasn't until Daniel had been given a very old book on sexual kinks that he had understood some of the uses for those masks; ones with wide, drooling smiles and certain sculpture-like appendages like phallic noses meant specifically for penetration. He'd never been involved with that particular pleasure. He knew he wouldn't risk it now, not without a teacher. Or at least a book.

None of them knew about rope play and the exotic ways to bind someone, so that was out. Their own knowledge was limited to being tied or held down and that was just fine, but Daniel didn't like not knowing, and perhaps, when they returned home, he'd find the time to educate himself. Jason loved bondage, so that was at least one good reason to learn. As for Jack...well, Daniel hated that he didn't know enough about Jack's pleasure buttons, even after two years. That made his desire to learn all the more necessary. Perhaps he could learn while they were here. This vacation was, after all, a fantasy escape.

The role play was certainly interesting so far, despite their inexperience. Whatever lay in that room, however, needed to be attended to after the role play was over. If they went into that room together, for a first or second or even a third look, Daniel would not leave that room without something happening, role play or no role play, and it was too soon for that.  So, with much regret, Daniel took his time getting there, hoping his lovers weren't getting too aroused.

.

Inside the bungalow, which exactly matched the first one in simple wood and Egyptian cotton furnishings and decoration, Jack and Jason opened the windows of the over-warm residence and opened the back door to the wrap-around deck. Their next direction was to the left of the front door, down a short hallway, past the large bathroom and to the door at the end. It faced them like some looming presence and would have felt even more so had the front hallway not had two narrow floor-to-ceiling windows letting it the light.

Jack slid the key inside the second lock and turned the bolt back; the regular house key had unlocked the normal lock in the doorknob. With a look at Jason, Jack slowly pushed the door open. The door, as they knew, was at the far left of the room, so looking inside brought their eyes to the right. Along the wall that stretched directly in front of them on their left was the front of the building. Two large windows were covered by closed blinds, so there was little light to illuminate the room, save for what came through the door.

Jason ran his hand to the right of the door and found a light switch. Overhead, three floodlights turned on, bathing the room in a golden glow. The bulbs themselves were colored glass fixed in their own adjustable sockets so that light could be aimed in all directions instead of one constant overhead blaze.

"Nice," Jason commented. "Creates an atmosphere."

"I'll say," Jack said, and pointed to the center attraction of the room. The doll his friend had mentioned. Jack had expected it to be put away or covered, but it, Christian, stood there as if waiting for instructions, and it drew them into the room. It faced the windows and not them and Jack was relieved not to meet inanimate eyes directly. The light allowed them to see it well enough to discern features, but the most blatant of them didn't need any focused light:  a long, lifelike cock, eternally hard.

"Handy, that," Jason gestured, and Jack nodded with a nervous grin.

It looked like a rubber mannikin, with pale cream Caucasian coloring and a blank blue-eyed stare. It did not have the look of a sex doll; its mouth was closed. It was a decent work of art, though. It had a serene face, muscularly-worked body, and the cock it sported wasn't too large in girth so anyone would be able to derive instant pleasure from it. It was, however, eight or nine inches long, which told Jack that it was likely made specifically for men. Considering that Jack knew that the owner preferred male partners, this didn't really surprise him.

"It's missing something," Jason said, frowning at the head. While its main feature was its phallus, it had another which was often overlooked, as it was in this case. It was bald.

Jack frowned more out of annoyance that he hadn't noticed the lack until Jason mentioned it. "Maybe it distracts," he said, shrugging.

To the doll's right was a tall dresser, and next to it a section of shelves. Next to that, a 12-foot space, like an alcove, recessed perhaps eight feet. Past the alcove, the wall ran straight again, filled with more sets of shelves that ended at the back wall. The alcove had Jason's attention.

"I'd say that this is what's setting the atmosphere, not the doll."

"Agreed," Jack answered.

The ceiling of the alcove was the same height as the rest of the room, but from its center hung two sets of chains that ended in metal manacles halfway to the floor. On the wall behind were fixed manacles, for wrists and ankles, widely spaced apart so that a person would spread open like an X. The beige wall itself looked clean, but stained. It indicated considerable use.  Looking at it and the chains gave the men a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, and they looked elsewhere, not sure of their feelings.

The shelves to either side of the alcove were the next target for attention. They held several different types of toys, including dildos of different sizes. When he turned, Jason discovered that the wall to the right of the door was one long toy selection. Four shelves took up the space, but cut short several feet before reaching the back corner.

In the back corner was another item, made of leather and suspended by chains. It looked like a hammock, but Jack knew its proper name. Jason stared over his shoulder and walked over, running his fingertips over the leather. "What's this called?" he asked.

Defensively, Jack asked back, "What makes you think I know?"

Jason lifted his brows. "Only that you're his friend and close enough to him that he'd let you hang out here with your friends for an entire month."

Jack pressed his lips together. "And?"

"He would have shared something with you, Jack, even if you didn't participate." He paused, a tiny smile of curiosity forming when Jack looked away. "Or did you?"

Jack felt his heart hammering away as he stood there, memories flooding him, bringing back the strange feelings of excitement and fear that he'd experienced back then, just listening to what had gone on in this room. "No."

"Then...what?"

"I watched."

Jason smirked. "I'm not surprised. I would have."

"But I didn't watch what happened here. Just...elsewhere. It wasn't until Daniel slapped my ass that I realized I wanted it, but I don't think that it's the same thing that's in this room. At least, it doesn't feel like it."

"Yeah, I get that. So, it's been fifteen years since you've been in here?"

"About, yeah. Feels...weird."

"I'm surprised that your friend let you come here. Fifteen years is a long time."

"Yeah, but we kept in touch, you know, letters and such. He kept inviting me every year, and you know, I probably would have gone but some damn mission or another was always in the way."

Jason nodded with understanding, then turned and froze, his attention now completely on the doll and the 'bed' that sat in front of it. "This is...interesting."

Jack pointed to the bed. "He had something like this last time but this one's different, but everything else is new, including the doll." He pulled out a piece of paper and opened it. "He emailed... instructions."

Jason took the offered page and read. As he did, he felt Jack's hands move down his sides and nowhere else. It was an effective caress because it didn't take him long to get hard.

"Want to try this out tomorrow?" Jack asked him, referring to the bed.

Jason swallowed, his eyes taking in the bed more thoroughly now that Jack had asked the question.

It was perhaps four feet wide, but the length was difficult to gauge because the 'bed' was a half-circle, raised from the floor on a square pedastal. Its surface was thickly padded, perhaps twelve inches, and the corners were rounded. Four padded cuffs decorated those corners, and they were currently unbuckled and spread open, as if inviting occupants. They made Jason shiver.

Jason couldn't say 'yes'. He only looked at Jack and nodded, once. The shape of the bed was what unnerved and excited him, and the fact that the doll was only a foot away. He stepped between the doll and the bed, looked over his shoulder at the doll's cock, then up into Jack's eyes. "You want me here yourself? Or do you want to watch me be...taken here?"

Jack felt himself grow warm. Everywhere. This was likely part of the attraction for such a...device. To watch. When Jason suddenly bent over and laid his body over the surface of the bed, his arms outstretched, Jack's cock began to stiffen and he cleared his throat. The man was a dreadful tease.

"Let's see what happens tomorrow."

Jason lifted himself onto his forearms. "Getting off on me lying here?"

Jack smirked, as if the answer were obvious, then pointed at the doll. "Do you want to be fucked by that?"

Jason suddenly flushed and looked away, pushing himself to stand. He walked away from it, even as he looked over his shoulder. Now standing next to Jack, he looked his lover over, then looked back at the bed. "Maybe. Preferably by you and Daniel, but I can see the...allure. I think I'd prefer the bed by itself, and not just for me," and he added a slap to Jack's ass as he passed him and made for the door.

Jack reddened and turned around swiftly, shoving Jason against the door and kissing him hard. Without saying it, he'd just told Jason that he'd like him to do that.

"After the role play or before?" Jason asked, rubbing his calf over the back of Jack's thigh, and in so doing, brushing their denim-covered cocks together. They were both hard now.

"After. I'd like to role-play with Daniel first."

"Done."

Jason regretfully stepped out of Jack's arms and allowed Jack to close the door, leaving it unlocked.

Noise behind them told them that Daniel had brought his things inside and they both rubbed their palms over the erections showing through their shorts. "He's going to be a handful," Jack said.

"Yeah, but what a handful," Jason replied. "How about we get some lunch started, then take him over to the supposed human fossils?"

.

Daniel stood with his bags in the living room, looking around for the bedroom entrance. He heard his lovers talking in soft voices--plotting something no doubt--and sighed.

"Surely I can open up my own windows?" he called out just as they emerged from the hallway to the right, behind the open front door.

"Of course you can," Jack said with an engaging grin as he pushed the front door nearly closed. "I'm just trying to be a good host."

Daniel started to respond with something caustic but stopped as he caught the arousal in Jack's eyes and a look in Jason's confirmed it. Just as he'd suspected would happen, the room had gotten them aroused. If they were aroused, then he'd be aroused. Their slightly bruised lips didn't escape his notice, either. "You two look a little flushed. Perhaps you need a swim outside."

He picked up his bags, smirking, and headed toward an open door to the far right of the living room. He first spotted what looked like a clothing chest, so his guess that this was the bedroom was confirmed, but when he reached the doorway, he froze, dropping his luggage. The bed was...stunning. With wide eyes, he looked over his shoulder at Jack, then walked into the room, heading straight for it. It was framed, with four tall posts, made of a deep redwood. The posts were carved with the usual milling work and capped with a round knob that nearly touched the ceiling. Over the bed and installed into the ceiling was a canopy frame also made of redwood. From it descended curtains of white material that resembled old parachute silk. For all Daniel knew, it probably was. Its finely woven material was gauzy and when Daniel touched it with his fingertips, he found it incredibly soft.

The draped fabric flowed over the sides of the bed, almost touching the floor and the light from the wide French doors that sat opposite the bed gave the entire treatment an ethereal quality. Opening the doors, Daniel let in the cool breeze and watched as it softly blew across the silk. The sound of the ocean surf met his ears and he could almost feel the spray of it as it hit the rocky part of the shore that fenced off the 'front yard'. The view from bed would be incredible.

"God, I never want to leave," he said softly, closing his eyes.

A hand touched his shoulder, bringing Daniel to regret the role play, because when he turned and found Jack, with Jason beside him, giving him such loving, gentle looks...he wanted his lovers, not strangers meant to seduce him. But the view would be here in the morning, as would the bed and the sound of the surf. Daniel didn't plan on dragging out the role play longer than that. This place was too ripe with other possibilities. And wasn't Alex coming here next weekend?

With a deep sigh, he pushed away the feelings and forced himself to think of his lovers as two men he barely knew, who had brought him here not for fossils but for sex -- no matter how Jason had dressed it up. Plainly stated, the men wanted him, and Daniel, as his own alter-ego, was discovering that he wanted them in return. So, what to do with two strange men...

"I'm, um, going to unpack," he said, gently removing Jack's hand from his shoulder by stepping away. "I'm also pretty hungry, so how about we have lunch and then you can show me where the fossils are?"

"Sounds good," Jack nodded, his eyes moving from Daniel to the bed, making his 'other' feelings known. Daniel met his gaze and swallowed hard, ordering himself not to look away...or down.

.

With a bit of reluctance, Jack and Jason returned to their bungalow and set about fixing up lunch. While they did that, Daniel unpacked. Halfway through, however, he set down his clothes and gave in to the desire to see what was inside that room. He had to know what his companions did, to be on the same mood level. What was in that room that had gotten them so aroused?

Reaching the door, he turned the knob and entered. He swallowed as he looked at the doll, taking in that it was dressed only in a wide, black leather belt, its arms raised over its head, held by cuffs about its wrists that were firmly linked to chains which in turn were attached to hooks in ceiling. The cuffs were padded, and that made him grin. If you took away the doll, someone else could be in its place.

Daniel examined the lifesized doll, or mannikin, and discerned that whomever made the doll had gone to extreme care. It was made specifically for this room; despite the artistic design of its exterior, the doll stood erect, its feet a few inches from the ground were spread apart by a two-foot square metal base. At the back of the base, perhaps a foot from the doll itself, was a thick pipe that ran upward and attached itself to the back of the doll, between its shoulder blades. Daniel couldn't figure out the purpose for the metal base or piping until he realized that its purpose was electrical, and that the doll was motor-driven. The base was probably its power source.

Daniel reached out and touched the skin and found the doll more lifelike than any other he'd seen or touched--and he had to admit to himself that he'd seen a few being used but thankfully, had never felt the need to use one himself.

This one, however, had him thinking differently. He circled the thing and examined the ass, finding that because of the mechanical nature, this doll was not used as a fuck toy on the receiving end; there was no hole. A remote control was attached to the back of the belt and the buttons were marked by hand, indicating the type of thrusting movement. "Slow."   "Gyrate."   "Piston."   "Fast."   "Rough."   One label made him laugh nervously:  "Bruiser."

Daniel looked around the room, wondering if there was another doll, one to fuck. When he spied the tall wardrobe dresser standing next to the windows, Daniel moved over and opened the double doors. Scene clothing hung inside, which Daniel expected, and sure enough, hung from a harness strapped to it was an identical doll, this one as flexible as the other one was stiff, except for the obvious dildo it wore for a cock.

Closing the dresser, Daniel returned to the mechanical doll and without hesitancy, took the nicely-sized dildo in his hand and squeezed. He felt its silky give and felt a curious arousal despite himself. He had to see how this thing worked.

Taking the remote control from the belt, Daniel examined it and found no power button, but looking around the doll itself, he found the power switch on the doll's lower back. After flicking the silver switch up, he hovered his thumb over the buttons and quickly pressed Bruiser on the remote.

A low hum generated from the base and up the pipe that could probably be considered the spine. A second or so later, the doll's hips began to move. Slowly at first, moving back, then forward, tentatively as a lover might. The movement was smooth, fluid, with no sounds of gears or hydraulics to remind the person being fucked that it was, indeed, a mannikin giving them pleasure.

Daniel's eyes were drawn to the slight bobbing of lifelike cock; long and stiff, with the shaft bent slightly downward at the fat, sloped head, as if... as if made to seek out a certain little gland. It sent shivers down Daniel's spine and through his own shaft and his cock stiffened with arousal. Wondering why this simple back and forth motion was called bruiser, Daniel moved his thumb over the remote to choose another setting just when the rhythm of the Bruiser setting altered.

It increased in speed, in force, the jerking motion of its hips letting Daniel know that its fucks would be considered hard. The hips shifted side to side, a little at first until it was almost swinging wildly. Taking a step back, Daniel watched it move, imagining someone on the receiving end. The resulting image made his skin tingle, his balls tighten. It didn't take much revelation to know that it was he himself that he imagined getting fucked.

Swallowing down some of his arousal, Daniel took a deep breath and pressed Stop. The mannikin didn't stop immediately, but slowed down, then eased back as if withdrawing from a lover. He next pressed Gyrate and watched in amazement as the process began again. Slow backward and forward strokes before the hips began to move in circles, thrusting as each pass moved over the center--or the ass it fucked--and pulled back as it drew away and circled again.

Daniel's curiosity increased and he reached out and took the lifelike cock into his hand once more, finding that he enjoyed the feel of it as it slid powerfully back and forth in his fist. He couldn't keep the image away, couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like inside him.

Keeping his hand on the cock, he tried the other settings. The one that surprised him the most, making his heart race, was the Rough setting. The movements were strictly back and forth, but the entire doll seemed to move, the chains over its head rattling as it fucked an imaginary partner hard and fast, with ceaseless power and energy.

Hitting the remote button for Stop, Daniel stepped away and gave a puzzled frown. He looked at the half-circle bed, the doll, then approximated his own height and judged that the doll was too short to be fucking someone his height. So the owner was shorter? Perhaps. He looked in the back, at the power settings, and on the base, found a electronic readout with arrow buttons meant to raise or lower the height of the doll in half inches.

Pressing the button, he watched the doll rise until he had it two inches higher than it had been. Stopping it there, and not bothering to think about what he was doing, Daniel moved to the front of the doll and backed his ass against it, letting the cock slide between his thighs, snug against his balls. He observed with another flush of arousal that standing flat on his sandaled feet, it was the perfect height for him.

He intended to step away, but as he looked at the bed in front of him, he realized that there was one more incongruity. If you were tied completely down, your ass would be out of reach of the doll.

Testing this, Daniel took half a step forward and felt the dildo slide back against his balls, giving him a mild sense of pleasure. Swallowing again, he bent over half of the bed, reaching his arms out above him. In order for this thing to work, the bed would have to be tilted. He stepped back, grinning at himself when the permanently erect cock poked him in the ass, and moved sideways to bend down and look at the base. From what Daniel could tell, it was also hydraulic, like the doll, and it was then that he spied controls on the base, marked in sections for directional control. But they still didn't move the bed any closer to the doll. Checking out the hydraulic base of the doll once more, Daniel finally found the button. It had only one setting:  Lock Forward. He pressed it.

The arm of the pipe, that was basically an elbow joint that disappeared into the back of the doll, lengthened exactly like another hydraulic arm. It pushed the doll forward several inches until its legs swung free of the base and touched the edge of the bed. Now it reached, so that either bending over the bed or being strapped down on it would give the desired result.

Daniel swallowed again, his throat dry, and didn't question what he was doing even as he did it. He carefully stepped between the bed and the doll, bending over and adjusting his position until the dildo was between his legs. He bent further, rising on his toes and resting on his forearms, noting as he did how his cock rubbed against the bed. He couldn't help but pause, desire warring within as he wondered what that cool leather would feel like against his cock.

Looking up at the door, just to make sure he wasn't being watched (yet), he then set the remote down in front of him. Gripping the sides of the leather bed and using his feet, he pushed himself back until his ass touched the mannikin. The doll's cock was firmly seated against his balls, with half of it sticking out from his denim crotch. Without thinking why, he moved his feet together, essentially sheathing the dildo and gripping it between his legs. It felt...strange. There was power there, and it felt... heavy... better.

He didn't ask himself why, but he liked this. He remained where he was for another minute before he used his grip on the bed to move back and forth. Not much movement, but it was enough to tantalize. It was then that his stomach growled, and reminded of lunch, he pushed up.

In doing so, however, he hit the remote control and it slid down the bed toward him. In reaction, his free hand made a grab for it... and one of the buttons was activated.

Daniel froze in alarm, in arousal, as he heard the low hum and felt the vibration, the slow build-up of the doll's movements. As it moved back, he sucked in a breath, feeling the doll's phallus rub him through his shorts, even against part of his perineum. It was on its slow forward thrust that he realized that the cock was warm. How had he escaped noticing that? The dildo should be cold. But as this one moved, the cock grew warmer until it was almost too warm.

Hot. Was that the purpose of the doll? Did the dildo heat up past the point of normal comfort? It would make sense. A normal fuck would be boring to the man that designed this room, right? So not just a normal hard fuck but one that heated up?

Any further questions were erased when the doll's movements increased, firing up his now hypersensitive nerve endings. Goosebumps rose all over his skin as the cock bent with the curve of his body and rode forward, rubbing hard against his own. Daniel wasn't about to move. It felt good.

Strange, alien, but damn good.

As it moved back between his legs and forward between his crotch and the bed, Daniel couldn't help the moan he let loose, nor the rise of his ass so that the doll's thrusts hit against his balls. Harder, and in circles, Daniel realized the setting was on Gyrate. Groaning, he fought for the remote still under him and felt the click of a button as he accidentally pressed another one. He brought the remote out from under him, insatiable curiosity making him look before pressing Stop.

He hesitated, wanting to know, and when the alarmingly hard thrusts began to pound, Daniel was torn between lying down and letting himself feel it and shutting it off.

The tightening of his balls made up his mind for him and he pressed Stop. He did not want to come in his shorts.

When he managed to extricate himself from the doll's embrace and shut it down, he found that he was shaking from barely controlled lust and desire. And not a little fear. Not because he felt an almost uncontrollable urge to be fucked by a doll but because he was alone.

Daniel wanted his lovers there. No way would he--should he--do this alone, not when he had company. If he'd come here alone, that would be different, and he wouldn't be standing there with his clothes on debating the matter. The knowledge frankly startled him.

As he stepped away from the bed, he absently placed the remote on it and scanned the shelves. A few minutes later, his eyes were wide, staring at a black leather mask with a long, black nose shaped like slender, curved penis. He shivered even as it intrigued him but was somewhat glad to note that the feelings it elicited weren't sexual.

He continued his look around the room and paused at the cache of treasures he found; things he could actually use. Whips, paddles, and even a whisk, though he doubted that Jack would want the small, short-handled broom used on him. Daniel vaguely recalled reading something about how light passes by a whisk over the buttocks eventually forced the skin to redden and rise to three times its normal height so that any touch to it would cause pain. Daniel didn't believe Jack was into that much pain. A little, but not a lot, not like that.

He wrapped his fingers around one of the leather-bound handles belonging to a long paddle. It was old, polished leather, six inches wide, and maybe twelve inches long. Instead of a solid strap of leather, the paddle end was cut into six-inch strips. The edges were worn with use so there would be no rough marks made by newly cut leather--only the smoothness of the straps themselves.

Would Jack like this? he asked himself. Daniel set it down and swallowed the rising lust back down, looked around, preparing to leave, when his eyes fell upon the corner and what looked like a hammock suspended from the ceiling, although something told him that wasn't its name. All black leather and studs and Daniel suddenly covered his mouth as he laughed at the stereotype.

Even so, it drew his interest. He had a pretty good idea what its use was for, and with images unbidden, saw Jack and Jason strapped in and fucked; owned. The men in his mind's eye weren't just his lovers, either. He imagined Jack's friend--whoever he was; he then imagined Alex.  Daniel palmed his cock and turned away.

As he came to the door, he spied a small cabinet behind it. Opening the small door, he found it stocked with an assortment of condoms of various styles, from various cultures; there were bottles of lube, some of which generated heat on the skin, and there were medical items that completely confused him on their purpose. Then there were the stimulants and sedatives in the delivery methods of pills, inhalers, ampules and injectors.

Two bottles caught his eye just as he started to close the cabinet door and leave. Prescription meds, both dated a month ago. One he recognized. Viagra. The other he vaguely recalled and thought that it was probably the alternative version. Daniel was very tempted to take one of them, but he didn't think he needed it. Not right now, anyway, and probably not today. Maybe tomorrow? Something made him open the bottle and take out three pills. He placed them in the pocket of his shorts, then put the bottle back.

Exiting the room before he got himself into further trouble, he decided to leave the door open. It was as if the room carried some sort of sexual promise. Or maybe it was just a pretty damn good mood setter because whatever happened today, this was a pretty good start.

.

On the deck of his and Jason's bungalow, Jack was preparing to grill chicken breasts over mesquite while Jason fetched the mandarin salad from the cooler picked up in a Honolulu deli. Both of them felt anticipation and desire, as well as great deal of tension for what was coming.

It had been too close there, in Daniel's bedroom, Jack thought. Daniel had looked so gorgeous in the filtered light that Jack had nearly forgotten what they had planned, nearly grabbed Daniel and kissed him, his thoughts filled with the urge to throw him down on the bed. There was an intense feeling of disappointment when he'd pushed the desires away, and soon after, telling himself that waiting would be better.

Right now, Jack wasn't feeling all that generous with waiting.

"I can't believe how goddamn wound up I am."

The sound of Jason's voice, grated and on edge, came from the kitchen and Jack's tension-filled body twitched with the thoughts of a hundred variations of fucking. A sudden rebellious need took over and Jack gave into it.

He turned from the grill and stalked through the doors, finding Jason at the counter to his right, preparing the salad dressing. Jason looked up and put down the metal whip, an eyebrow going up. "What? Itchy too?" he asked, his voice trying to sound light.

Without a word, Jack advanced, his hands finding Jason's waist, only to slide up his chest and grasp the man's face firmly before kissing him, hard.

Jason moaned, kissing back, grinding in, feeling Jack's hard cock pressing into his hip. "Jack..." he complained softly as he pulled back.

"I can relieve you of that tension," Jack offered, biting at Jason's bottom lip, letting Jason hear the desire he felt.

"Now?" Jason asked sarcastically, moving his body rhythmically against Jack's solid rocking. "Think you can do me before Daniel gets here?" He'd meant it as a half-joke, but Jack took him at his word and with quick, deft fingers, unbuttoned Jason's shorts and slid his hand inside to firmly stroke his lover's cock.

"I think I could try," he managed, pulling Jason away from the counter. As he shoved him down over the dining table, he yanked his lover's shorts down in one rough motion.

"God, yes," Jason exclaimed as cool air hit his skin.

The sound of Jason's eager breathing made Jack want him all the more, and in seconds, his own shorts were around his ankles and the olive oil was in his hands, slicking his cock and rubbing a delicious amount against Jason's puckered entrance. He didn't prepare him; there was no time.

"You want it?" Jack asked gruffly against Jason's ear as he laid over him, his hand busily rubbing the slick head of his cock against the hot opening.

Jason's breath puffed against the wooden table, leaving behind small fogs of steam along the surface. As his cock slid over the smooth, polished surface, he said, "Fuck yes, Jack," and just as he got out the second 'k', Jack was breaching him, filling him, holding him down by the back of his neck.  "Oh my fucking god."

"Yes," Jack whispered, staring at Jason's ass with half-closed eyes.

"Fuck me," Jason breathed as he gripped the far edge of the table, his fingers slowly tightening until the knuckles were white with strain.

Jack wasted no time with that either as he took hold of Jason's hips, stroked twice in an easy, comfortable lure, then abandoned all self-restraint and let loose on his lover. Jason's expressive panting became louder, harsher, and soon matched the rhythmic sound of slapping skin; a sound that carried not just to Jack's ears, egging him on, but through the open front door. To Daniel.

.

The sounds were unmistakable to Daniel's ears. He wasn't paying attention at first as he approached the front door, but as he crossed the threshold, his mind told him it had to be something else because he wasn't that lucky... but his dick told him it was exactly what he thought it was and he was lucky.

His steps slowed as he moved through the living room, heart hammering again in excitement, cock hard so fast it made him dizzy. Once he was in sight of the open dining room and kitchen, Daniel froze.

He damn near came just from the sight and squeezed his balls through his shorts, holding back a groan. His ears seemed to shut out everything but the sound of fucking; they were oblivious to his presence, backs half-turned away from him while they lost themselves in a wonderfully frenzied, passionate fuck. Daniel's skin flushed with sweat, quickly matching the glistening state of his lovers.

He knew they wouldn't have waited; Jack had warned him. But Daniel hadn't even had the chance to tease them yet and knew without being told that what had them so wound up was the promise of sex in combination with that damned exotic room.

And there, in front of him, not knowing he was there, Jack fucked Jason over the dining table and...

Fuckin' A, they looked good.

"Imagine him coming in and seeing us," Jack breathlessly suggested.

"Jack, god," Jason stressed. His voice was harsh and guttural to his own ears and he could only imagine what Jack thought he sounded like. He presented himself higher, eager to receive more, eager to have this, have Daniel watch, make him lose control. He arched, pushing up, tightening his ass. "More, Jack, god, do it! Make me come!"

"You love this, don't you?" came Jack's question, and there was a sudden slap on the side of his ass.

Jason gasped and shouted, "You know I do!" as the pleasure consumed him.

Daniel held his breath, letting the thoughts of his alter-ego guide his actions. He moved closer, leaning against a support post that separated the rooms. He let his fingers edge his erection, but didn't touch himself, teasing his body. He pretended that he didn't know these men as their actions made the flush of his skin deepen with embarrassment and arousal. He desperately wanted to drop his shorts and grab his cock, but somehow kept himself from doing it. His hips began to rock and his buttocks clenched as he thought of himself on that table, getting fucked by both men. The image had him biting his lips closed, choking off the moan he needed to let go.

"Love fucking you," Jack purred, rubbing one hand over Jason's ass as he held him down with the other, his thrusts getting harder, rougher. Putting on a show as if Daniel really were watching.  "So good, so fucking good," he growled with a deep, trembling voice, jerking hard against Jason each time he thrust.

Daniel cut off a sound that his brain told him would have been a whimper of need, and clamped a hand on his balls, tightening, keeping himself from coming. The pain and pleasure were amazing and he'd never thought he'd have lasted this long.

"Take it, you little slut," Jack cursed at Jason.

Jason gripped the edge of the table and pushed back, bringing his ass just a little higher, Jack's cock a little deeper. The table creaked and groaned as Jack's thrusts pounded him into the wood, and his cock burned from the friction. "Jack, god, Jack."

"Come on, you whore. He's watching. Come for him, come for me," Jack urged, his eyes only for Jason's ass.

"I am watching," Daniel suddenly whispered, his words cutting through the loud sounds of sex.

Jason's eyes squeezed shut. "Oh god!" he cried out, his orgasm breaking loose to tighten his hole and grip Jack hard.

"Fuck!" Jack cried out, unable to thrust and grinding into him instead as he shot his pleasure repeatedly over his lover's gland.

Their grunts and cries were caught in their throats as the pleasure overwhelmed them and they lay over the table, waiting for the shocks to stop.

In the meantime, Daniel finally let loose a growling sound of frustration and anger, never once touching himself and hating himself for it. His lovers turned their heads, looking at him as he leaned against post, seeing how his shorts were closed, his fingers clutching the edges of his shorts in tight fists.

"God," Jack murmured and pushed slowly off Jason's body. Kicking loose his shorts, he pulled off his t-shirt as he closed in on Daniel.

Daniel's eyes widened. "What're you--"

"You need release and don't you dare tell me you don't," Jack growled at him. Daniel started to move, but it was painful, and he couldn't fight off Jack's hands that were at his shorts, drawing them open, pushing them down. Jason, now just as nude as Jack, moved in behind him, turning his face to him.

"Why didn't you jerk off?" he asked.

"I've never..." Daniel immediately said, "not in front of..."

"God," Jason breathed and kissed him, hard, jerking with ultra-sensitivity as he rubbed his spent cock against Daniel's ass.

Daniel felt the come on Jason's cock that was now smeared across his ass and groaned, breaking the kiss. "You can't, you--" but he silenced himself, not knowing what he wanted to say. They couldn't help him, they couldn't...

"I can," Jack said and dropped to his knees, his arms going around his thighs, fingers digging in to hold him still. Behind Daniel, Jason's fingers pushed his shirt up, his arms going around his waist, his chest, holding on tight.

"He can," Jason whispered into Daniel's ear. "He'll suck you so damn good."

"God, yes," Jack whispered and licked a wide swath over the strained purple head of Daniel's cock.

"God!" Daniel cried, jerking his head back, squeezing his eyes shut, and frantically reached out, grabbing Jack by the shoulders. His body shuddered and trembled as Jack licked him wet until he took the head in his mouth and sucked gently. Daniel began to whimper with the combination of pleasure and pain, his hips thrusting ceaselessly in short, sharp jerks.

"That's it, Daniel," Jason purred. "Take him, fuck his mouth. He wants it, has been dreaming of it."

Daniel moaned, relaxing his grip of Jack's shoulders as the head of his cock slid in and out of Jack's mouth.

They were easing him down, bringing him to a point where he could come. Daniel had never done this with them before, never having allowed himself to hold back his orgasm. As painful as it was, and knowing he would probably not do this again, he loved it; loved what they were doing to him now.

"Talk dirty to him, Daniel," Jason encouraged. "He likes it. Tell him what you want."

Jack pulled off, licking and sucking his balls. "Tell me," he whispered before taking them both into his mouth. Daniel gasped again and again, his entire body on fire. Then Jack was moving up, taking the head back into his mouth and sucking in inch after inch. He moaned around the stiff flesh, pushing at the backs of Daniel's legs, telling him to thrust more. Further.

The vibration from Jack's throat was acute and with his head thrown back on Jason's shoulder, Daniel let out a yell and suddenly clutched at him, holding Jack savagely by his head as he thrust over that wet, accepting tongue. The pleasure spread and his balls tightened when Jack tipped back and opened his throat.

"Tell him," Jason ordered, his tone urgent.

"Suck me," Daniel gasped.

"Again! Louder!" Jason hissed. "Tell him, call him names!"

"I can't--"

"Tell him!" Jason said, ripping his t-shirt down to bite hard into the cords of his neck.

"Fuck!" Daniel cried through a strained voice. "Suck me! God, suck me, bitch, suck me. Suck me, suck me, suck--"

Jack abruptly clamped down and swallowed, pulling a fierce cry from Daniel's throat and forcing him to spill down his throat as he came and came.

Heat spread through Daniel's limbs and through his balls and cock as Jack backed off a little to suck and swallow, taking all Daniel had to give him. There was a moment of greyness and Daniel didn't know what was going on. He was absently aware that Jason was kissing his face, caressing his belly; that Jack was now kissing his cock, his groin, moving around Jason's hands.

Daniel felt a little silly, wondering why he thought he lay on his side, on something soft, but as his awareness returned, he realized he was. He tried to move his arms and legs and found them weak and heavy. "God," he croaked. "What have you two done to me?"

A kiss met his cheek and Daniel turned to it and opened his eyes, finding Jack looking at him with a little worry. He turned and saw Jason with the same expression, then felt a sense of pleasure as Jason leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"We loved you," Jason said.

"Is that what that was?" Daniel asked, closing his eyes. He was in bed and didn't remember getting there. Which means, embarrassingly, that he had passed out. He couldn't remember the last time he'd done that with his lovers, though he remembered the first time it had ever happened, and it had been with Jason. His next thoughts were that they were supposed to have had lunch and he vaguely remembered the smell of chicken cooking and the tang of orange in the air. His eyes flew open. "Lunch?"

Jack smiled then. "Amazingly, it's saved. The fire in the grill went out. But I relit it and it's cooking now."

Daniel groaned, feeling lethargic but hungry as hell. "How the hell did the two of you manage to make me pass out?"

"I think you did that, Daniel," Jason said, nuzzling him. "It's what you get for giving yourself blue balls and making us rescue you."

"I did no such thing," Daniel protested, wondering why he didn't notice the press of two bodies against him when he first woke up. God. "Making you rescue me, that is."

Jack made a tsk tsk sound. "We couldn't have done anything else, Daniel. It was one hell of a turn on, you know, having you come in and watch us. You surprised me."

The words reminded Daniel that they were still in character. He cleared his throat and managed to look like he was blushing, even though his skin obviously wasn't. "I... you... um, I saw you and... well, it was too late to turn away."

"Haven't you come in on students doing it?" Jason asked in a teasing tone, exchanging grins with Jack.

Daniel tried to make himself blush but he couldn't. Instead, he sat up, hiding his face from them. "Those were different."

"How?" Jack asked.

"They weren't... the two of you." He growled softly at himself, wishing they weren't in role play but not really wanting to break it for an urge to be, well, sappy. He turned to glance at Jack, then Jason, and sighed. "Look, I--"

Jack suddenly sat up and put an arm around his shoulders. "Daniel," he said softly.

"What?"

"Time out."

And then he pulled Daniel back and kissed him, deeply, pushing him down into the soft, plush pillows, sliding his hands under him, around him. Jack's tongue coaxed and seduced his mouth, making Daniel relax into him, and when he let up, he did so slowly, reluctantly.

Daniel took a deep breath, was about to speak, when Jason's fingers were under his chin, turning him, brushing his lips with his own, whispering, "My turn," before kissing him just as deeply and as passionately as Jack had. It was then that Daniel realized that he was only half dressed and wondered, again, where the hell his awareness was that he hadn't noticed.

When Jason let up and Daniel took another breath, he held up his hands in case his lovers any more ideas in depriving him of oxygen. "Okay, what was that, not that I didn't like it or appreciate it."

"You needed it, Daniel," Jason told him, "and so did we."

"Ditto," Jack agreed. He paused a moment, then told him, "I've never seen you do that, Daniel. Hold back like you did, and while I'm smug as hell to have been able to give you what you needed, you had me worried when you greyed out."

"What he said," Jason added, caressing Daniel's chest.

Daniel sighed. "I surprised myself. And scared myself. I stayed in my role instead of breaking, and fuck, that was hard to do."

Both Jason and Jack gave him amazingly shy, knowing smiles and Daniel laughed softly.

"But you two...Jesus. I tried to think what my alter-ego would do, what I would do if I weren't getting any all the time and what I'd do if I suddenly saw something I wasn't used to seeing, especially with two men I'm extremely attracted to. I'm someone who isn't used to going after what he wants or used to getting this kind of attention from two very handsome men. I'm someone who isn't used to watching others have sex. I'm someone who doesn't jerk off in front of others, either."

"I remember you saying that," Jason said, then suddenly hissed and assumed a guilty look as he spotted the dark red bruise on Daniel's neck.

"What?" Daniel asked.

Jason fingered it gently. "Sorry."

Daniel reached up and put his hand where Jason was barely touching. He felt a bruise but it wasn't too sore. "It doesn't hurt much, Jace," he assured him. "You didn't break the skin, did you?" he asked, grinning at him when Jason's eyes widened with further worry. "I'm kidding, Jace. I don't think you did--"

"Let me see," Jason started, peering closely and examining Daniel's skin.

Daniel laughed at him and brushed his hands aside.  "Idiot," he teased, making Jason grin sheepishly. Daniel grew quiet then and hooked a finger in Jason's mouth to draw him close for a light kiss. "That bite did it, you know."

"It did?" Jason asked coyly, looking at Jack and winking. "I thought it was Jack."

Jack moved closer and nuzzled under Daniel's ear, making him shiver all over. "No, I think that bite did it, Jace. It made Daniel do something, which then made me do something. Isn't that right, Daniel?"

Daniel felt a stirring inside, growled in annoyance, and pushed Jack away as he sat back up. "Don't start. Now, slightly changing the subject, just what happened here?" He pulled at his torn t-shirt and indicated that it was all he was wearing.

"Um, well," Jason explained quickly. "You folded. So, I carried you to the bed."

That made Daniel blush, and even though he knew that was what had happened, hearing Jason actually say it was... "I'm so embarrassed," he said rubbing his forehead. His lovers grinned and sat up next to him, putting their arms around him and kissing his cheeks.

"Isn't that cute. He's blushing," Jason teased.

Daniel pushed at them, feeling even worse, but he couldn't be angry if he tried. He didn't say anything but his lovers did know when enough was enough.

"So now what?" Jack asked, rubbing Daniel's back.

"We end the time out," he said, pulling off his shirt. "The last few minutes didn't happen, I wake up to find the two of you freshly showered and out on the deck, serving lunch, looking reasonably smug but a little leery as to how I'll react to that amazing and spontaneous blow job, and we'll go on from there."

"And then?" Jason asked as he rolled out of bed, standing there looking beautiful and naked.

Daniel looked him up and down and sighed. "And then...what?"

"How long do you think this should go on?" he asked, heading toward the bathroom, "because I don't see it lasting past the time where we end up taking you to bed and fuck each other senseless." He disappeared and the shower was heard running soon after.

Daniel snorted. "Providing we don't have any more diversions."

"Don't worry about that, Daniel," Jack chided and playfully cuffed him. "But Jason's right," he added, getting up. "I don't think it'll last past the night."

Daniel lay back down and stretched, purposely looking away from Jack's dangerous stare.

"Yeah, okay, you're both right. End of time out, Jack." He rolled over and pulled the blanket up to cover half his body. He didn't intend to fall asleep but he really did need the nap.

Jack grinned and headed for the bathroom, stepping inside the glass enclosure when Jason slid the shower door open for him. "We need to make this one memorable," he told him, groaning as Jason's soapy fingers massaged his back.

"I don't think that will be a problem, Jack," Jason answered, "since I think this entire leave will be memorable."

Jack's smile was dark and playful. "Perhaps in a week, it'll be your turn to blush, eh?"

Jason narrowed his eyes. "Don't make me hurt you."

.

When Daniel emerged from his shower, he found another t-shirt set out for him next to his own shorts. It wasn't his (even though it was), but it fit. He left the room and went through the house, hoping that his companions weren't fucking again. It had only been an hour so they shouldn't be, but these two seemed to have the stamina of bulls. He stepped onto the deck from the kitchen and found the men sitting at the table, their eyes fixed on him, both looking a little worried.

"Hi," he greeted, blushing a little while a frown formed.

"Hi," Jack responded. "Have a seat. How're you feeling?"

Daniel sat down across from them, wanting to tell him that he was ready for more, even if he had just been comparing them to bulls. But he didn't really feel aggressive enough to ask. Perhaps he needed a little more... encouragement. He should get it, he thought, considering that they'd wasted no time giving him that wonderful blow job. The mention of it made his cheeks grow hot and he was distracted by his thoughts.

"Daniel?" Jack asked.

"Oh, um, fine. Good, um, a little weird."

"Um, yeah, about that," Jason began and reached across to take Daniel's hand in his. "We hadn't planned any of that. I'm sorry if--"

Jack kissed Jason's apology from his lips. "Don't apologize. We loved what happened. Didn't you, Daniel?"

Daniel swallowed and looked away, nodding. "I did."

"Besides, I'm sure you've seen two men fucking before so it's not like it was anything new, right?"

Daniel cleared his throat. "No, not new. I should, um, apologize for intruding though."

"Don't," Jack said, quickly taking Daniel's other hand. "You made it hotter."

Jason grinned at Jack before returning his gaze to Daniel's amusing red cheeks. "He's right. It was."

Daniel swallowed, trying to suppress arousal at the look of Jason's skin. The man wore only his shorts. "I...feel weird, anyway."

"Bad?" Jack asked.

"No, no, no, just...I'm not used to that sort of spontaneity... or saying what I, you know... said."

"You'll get used to it," Jason answered with a shark smile.

Daniel wanted to bite it off. "If you say so."

There was a strange sort of peace in the air, similar to the one felt after the satisfaction of sex. Daniel wondered how long it would last. Underneath the peace was the air of restlessness, which he felt was in each of them. Jack served lunch and grabbed some beers for himself and Jason, surprising Daniel with a glass of chardonnay. The meal was a good distraction and it helped dispel the butterflies Daniel felt.

The men talked with Daniel about a lot of things, carefully steering clear of anything too personal, and Daniel found himself caught up in topics ranging from movies to Academy gossip. When their meal was finished, Daniel didn't wait for the conversation to lull and become uncomfortable, so he stood up and drained his glass. "That was great, thank you. Are you two up to showing me where to find the fossil site?"

Jack exchanged looks with Jason and they both stood. "Let's go."

Leading Daniel down the steps, they walked a few steps before realizing that Daniel wasn't with them. They turned and found Daniel staring at the small pool.

"I didn't know we had a pool," Daniel muttered to himself, and realized as he reached the grass that part of the pool disappeared under the deck. He bent down, one hand on the deck, staring underneath. "Where's it go?" he asked.

Jack grinned. "Into our bedroom. You probably didn't notice because it's covered."

Daniel hadn't noticed and cursed himself. But it wasn't a bath, it was a pool. "Isn't there a jacuzzi or bathtub?"

"You prefer to take baths?" Jack asked.

"No, I usually take showers."

"You're invited to use it anytime, Daniel," Jason told him as he came over to him. "I'd love to share." He suddenly had Daniel's chin in his fingers and was leaning in, letting his eyes close. He came this close to kissing him, but pulled back, smiling at him. "Still want to see the fossils or would you rather go for a swim? It's a nice day for it."

Daniel took a deep breath. "The fossils are by that waterfall, you said?"

"Yes," Jason said slowly.

"I'll have a look there first and a swim after. That sound okay with you two?"

"Sounds like a plan," Jack answered.

"Lead the way then," Daniel asked, stepping out of their way.

Jack felt his fingers twitch as he walked past him.

.

They led Daniel over large flat-topped boulders, stepping carefully to avoid the moss-covered edges. To the right of the waterfall, one such boulder stretched out to accommodate an easy step onto a long outcropping of stone that jutted out from beneath the cascading water. Daniel stepped onto it, his right hand on the rock wall, wet from overspray, maintaining his balance. Jason pointed.

"Behind there," he said, and when Daniel took a few hesitant steps, he saw that the waterfall cleared the wall by nine feet or so, forming a sort of natural alcove behind it. It wasn't too wide, perhaps twelve feet, but it was mostly dry, save for more spray from the water that hit the lagoon. The fossils were in groups of three, and as Jason had intimated, they were animals, tiny lizards to be more precise. Daniel ran his fingers over them, finding their positions curious. When he turned to say something, however, Daniel found himself alone.

"Aren't you guys joining me?" he called out, stepping onto the edge of the out-cropping. They had retreated to the edge of the field that melded with the boulders and were sprawled out on the short, soft grass.

"No, we'll be out here," Jason shouted back.

Daniel just barely heard him under the roaring of the water. He stared back, then shrugged and disappeared behind the wall of water.

Jack and Jason had no intention of staying inside with him. While cold, and a good enough reason to stay away, it was their emotions that kept them at bay. Watching Daniel under there was just a little too much; he seemed oblivious of his sexy appearance even though they knew damn well that he wasn't. The cold water hadn't just made his wet t-shirt stick to his skin. It had made his nipples pebble and harden, sticking up with notice, begging to be taken between teeth. His damp shorts hugged him close, riding up slightly and enhancing his crotch and his ass more than was strictly, well, necessary.

It was an exercise in restraint.

Daniel's lovers decided to exercise the better part of valor, too, by leaving him to his 'study'. They laid beside each other in the grass, closing their eyes, and enjoyed the sun, the sounds of the surf, and the occasional cries of birds. They thought about what they planned to do to him; their nerves were about as high strung as they could get, anticipating the unknown, although they were quite certain of the outcome. One other thing they were quite certain of:  whatever happened would not involve being in that damned cold water. The temperature itself would defeat the purpose, no matter how high their arousal.

After a few minutes of waiting, Jason shaded his eyes and let out a strange chuckle.

"What?" Jack asked, not needing to look.

Jason looked over and turned on his side to face him. "Jack, answer something for me. Why do I feel like we're on a mission?"

Jack frowned, confused by the question, and opened his eyes. He looked over at Jason and rolled to face him, mirroring the position of propping his head in his hand. "I don't know. Why?"

"Think about what we're doing and what Daniel's doing."

Jack did, then started to laugh softly; it was damn funny, actually. "Because we're waiting around on Daniel to finish staring at a bunch of fossilized bone?" He shook his head and his laughter trailed off as he sat up. "It's a goddamned hard habit to break, isn't it?"

Jason agreed as he sat up next to him. "Any other time, I wouldn't have a problem with this, but this is our vacation. And it strikes me as a little odd that we're spending our fantasy island time doing this." He got up then, feeling like an idiot, and stared over at the waterfall and the hint of skin color beyond. He shook his head and turned away.  "You know, I love the man, but I'm not waiting on his ass...er, well, I am, but I'm not waiting here."

Jack chuckled as Jason took his hand and helped him up. "Did you have something in mind then?"

"That's what I've been thinking about," Jason answered, grinning at him. "Trying to come up with a plan of action, other than the obvious."

"Other than the obvious, yes."

"You know he's doing this to tease us."

Jack gave him a wry smile. "We thought up the plot, Jace, so it's our own fault."

Jason rolled his eyes. "Yes, I know, but does he have to...well, get into it so much? The shit actually shook his ass at me as he bent over that one section to look at the bottom of the wall." He sighed with a tiny smile on his lips and Jack grinned back at him. "C'mon," he said, taking a step toward the bungalows. "If we're gonna lie around in the sun, let's go do it in comfort. Grab a cold beer, lie on something comfortable. For once I'd like to indulge in a little hedonism."

Jack laughed again and reached out, taking Jason's hand. It felt good to be able to do that out in the open, and for once, Jack realized that it was something he actually missed being able to do. Jason tried to read the look on his face and then stared down at Jack's examination of their hands.

"What?" he asked.

"I know it's not exactly in public, but..." He tightened his fingers laced through Jason's, letting him know without saying it.

Jason stared back at him, eyes searching Jack's. He'd already considered the freeing nature of their situation. "This," he said, holding up their hands, "is a luxury I've been looking forward to. Funny how it just hit you, Jack."

Jack shrugged, dropping their hands down but not letting go. "I'm a little slow."

Jason snorted. "Only when you have other things on your mind that don't require keeping a P90 close at hand. As a rule, you're far from slow."

Jack pulled their clasped hands behind him, bringing Jason close. He bent his head slightly, nuzzling his lover's face. He didn't need to say anything; actions spoke louder with him, anyway. But...some things needed to be discussed so they might as well get going.

"You do realize we've already been practicing hedonism."

"Yes, but we can do that at home..." When he caught the arch of Jack's brow, he amended with a wicked grin, "Okay, maybe not all of it."

"About that room," Jack began, getting straight to the point.

"Yes, that room."  Jason paused, considering something that just came back to him. "Do you think Daniel was just goading us when he mentioned the doll?"

Jack thought about it, then cleared his throat. "No. I think he's immersing himself in this fantasy adventure like he does with everything else..."

"In that he wants to explore every damn thing," Jason finished, nodding.  They were quiet again for a while, then Jason scowled in Daniel's direction. "If he stays in there any longer, we'll need to unthaw him."

Jack laughed. "If I stay here any longer, I'll get blades of grass molded into my skin. C'mon, let's go for a swim, prune up a little and see if he decides to join us, then check out the bedroom."  Jason gave him a decidedly dirty look and he grabbed the man's hand and led him off toward the bungalow.

.

Daniel waited long enough. While the fossils were certainly interesting, they weren't enough to keep him distracted for more than five minutes. Besides, he was cold in this damp place. He turned and walked the few feet to the side of the waterfall, the roar of it only just getting noticed again, making him wish he had earplugs. Emerging from the waterfall, he stepped onto the larger of the flat rocks, blessedly warm under his feet, and found that he was alone.

He closed his eyes for a second as he had a moment of déjà vu, then started off toward the house.

.

Jason sighed deeply as he stepped into the pool from the steps at the shallow end and immersed his body in the heated water. While their surroundings were tropical, they were also in the winter season so the warm water was very welcome. He sat down on the bottom step and leaned back on his elbows, the water level high enough only to cover his chest. This end of the pool, while staired, also sloped downward and made it easy to just relax at one end without the use of a raft.

Watching Jack take a few laps, Jason admired his lover's nude body and the ease in which it moved through the water. When Jack made his way back to him and caught Jason watching, he smirked and swam up, nearly on top of him. Jason purposely didn't move an inch. Jack planted his hands on the ceramic surface, framing Jason's body, as the rest of him floated like an afterthought. He looked down, curious of Jason's half-hard state of affairs, even under water.

"Something on your mind?" he asked mildly.

"No, not really."

"Hey, I thought you guys were going to stay with me?" Daniel called, walking toward them. As he looked at his lovers, he thought how funny it was that the plan was for them to seduce him... as they had done so once already. That scene earlier had been damned hot. So, now what would they do? He had to keep up his own *inexperience* pretense, even if it was aggravating the crap out of him.

He smiled sheepishly as he drew near, but it was an effort. His companions were nude. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bore you two. I'm done with that wall. Turns out there's nothing there that's uncommon."

"Oh, pity," Jason answered sarcastically, obviously not meaning it. "But I think maybe you owe us for waiting on you."

Daniel's eyes grew narrow. "I never asked you to wait."

"No, but you'll have to pay anyway."

"I beg your pardon?"

Jason suddenly remembered the things he'd told Daniel in the letter; things about his role play character. The words had just popped out of his mouth without any actual thought to them. Jason didn't know what he was going to do, but went with it anyway, sensing this need to be aggressive. If he went too far, Daniel would stop him, if not Jack.

"Get in," he asked, trying to hide his enthusiasm.

"The pool's heated?"

"Of course."

Daniel started to step in but Jack held out his hand. "Hold up, Daniel. Clothes off."

"Off?" he asked, starting to shiver from the coldness of his skin.

"Off. We're naked, so you should be."

Daniel considered that, and considered that he was probably insane, too, and threw off his wet t-shirt and shorts and stepped into the warm water. He adored the warmth as it chased away the chill he'd been feeling. He dove under, heading out to swim a few laps. He knew his lovers' eyes were on him as he sidestroked through the water, and tried not to think of anything arousing that would make him hard. He preferred to let his companions do that for him.

When he looked up, he saw the strange grin on Jack's face and frowned a little. Jack's expression wasn't...nice? No, that was the wrong word. Pleasant? Well, no, that wasn't the right word, either. Whatever the word, and whatever it meant, it sent a very direct message to his cock that he had to strangle. What had made him think that a role-play situation like this would ever stay boring?

Lost in his thoughts, Daniel wasn't ready for the attack that came.

He was treading water at the far end he felt hands around his ankles, yanking him down. Daniel didn't like chlorine so he'd shut his eyes against the water. He didn't know precisely who'd done it, but it had to be Jason. He was the only one who'd trained with those goddamned, miserable SEALs.

A second later, he was being kissed and 'someone' had an arm around him, as they broke the surface. Daniel blinked rapidly, brushing the water from his eyes just as he was shoved against the side of the pool, hands framed at either side of his head.

Jason was to his right; Jack, to his left. Fuck.

Daniel felt as if he'd run a marathon and it had nothing to do with swimming. His heart was pounding and despite his efforts to the contrary, his cock was filling soon after he'd hit the wall. The move against the wall surprised him, though he had no idea why. Even with his own experience, the fact that he got off on rough sex always amazed him.

"It's time, Professor," Jason said, his free hand under the water, sliding down his body but deliberately avoiding his cock when it came to rest on his inner thigh.

Daniel groaned and started to say something but Jack's hand was distracting, copying Jason's and resting on his opposite thigh, teasing. Then Jack lunged and Daniel's mouth was consumed; the man's tongue went after his own with aggressive little stabs and Daniel felt himself weakening.  Jesus.  He thought about pulling away, to get out of the pool--although why exactly was beyond him. He broke the kiss, pulling away, gasping, and instead asked, "Time for what?" before he grabbed the edge of the pool with his right hand.

"You'll see," Jack said behind his ear, and Daniel realized that in moving, trying to push them off, he'd allowed Jack to move in behind him. They were slowly guiding him along the edge, moving to the shallower end of the pool. When Daniel's feet felt the bottom, they sandwiched him and spread his legs, sliding their hard cocks against his body.

Daniel couldn't breathe correctly with their intense humping against his cock, his ass. Their mouths were busy over his throat, his face; their hands beguiling him with rough caresses, fingers twisting his nipples and making him wince. Their attentions fed his lust and he loved what they were doing, but he fought for control, out of habit, pushing ineffectively to get free, yet barely using his strength to do so. It was form, not intent.

But theirs wasn't. Their intent was clear when they started to talk, their dirty words making him breathe harder, faster, to close his eyes with needy confusion.

Jason grabbed his hips and thrust, rubbing forcefully, panting hard as the jolts of pleasure thrummed through his body. "God, he feels so good, Jack," he whispered.

"Yes," Jack replied as he moved his cock back and forth between Daniel's thighs, rubbing against that one spot behind the balls, loving how he made Daniel jerk from the caress. His hands moved up, holding Daniel's head back on his shoulder while his other reached between them, taking his cock and rubbing it against Daniel's hole. When Daniel gasped again and his hands sought out something to hold onto, Jack bit his ear. "Nice, isn't it? Like my cock?"

Daniel laughed; a short, breathy sound that was cut off by Jason's ardent kiss. As his tongue danced around Daniel's, Jack went on talking, his voice deep and sensuous in his ear, making the hair on Daniel's body stand up and he couldn't help but moan.

"Going to make you come over and over and over," Jack said as he rubbed around the tight, wrinkled hole with his cock.

Jack's sudden absence and the splash of water surprised Daniel but not as much as the hot feel of his mouth biting down his back, over his ass, or that tongue plunging inside, not bothering to lick or tease. The pleasure was as shockingly abrupt as the surprise and Daniel jumped, nearly knocking Jason over. His lover took care of that by giving him another surprise, and Jason dropped into the water to take Daniel's cock into his mouth.

There were no words as Daniel's brain left him. The shock of heat surrounding his cock nearly made him come. He cried out in a shuddery exhale, grabbing Jason's hair, then shoulders. Jack wasn't making it easy, hanging onto his hips as his tongue drove him insane.

It seemed like minutes as they tormented him but he knew it was only seconds before they started back up, their mouths still on him, biting their way back to the surface. He heard the strong inhalations of breath that were quickly covered up by more kisses and bites. Daniel was so overwhelmed that he nearly lost balance despite the buoyancy of the water.

"It's time to go," Jason whispered gruffly as he licked up the center of Daniel's throat. He shivered from holding back the pent up tension that had been building, and stepped away, taking Daniel's hand once more. "Jack, let's go," he said, looking over his shoulder.

Jack replied with a heated look that was nowhere near anger.

It was difficult to walk with a hard-on, but their arousal allowed them to ignore the discomfort. Jason still had Daniel's hand, leading him into the bedroom, but Jack took the other and crawled onto the bed, pulling Daniel down on top of him. "It's about time, dammit," he said and kissed him hard.

Jason was tempted to crawl over Daniel and lick up the remaining drops of water that fell onto the bed covers, but he moved instead to the three-drawer nightstand. As he pulled the top drawer open, he was reminded that it was still their first day there and they hadn't made the time to investigate what was available. Jason was a little surprised by the contents in the drawer, and curious, opened the others to see what they held.

"Holy shit," he muttered to himself, and the words and tone broke his lovers apart. Jack was torn between continuing his exploration of Daniel and his curiosity for whatever it was that Jason found, but Daniel's expression had him pulling him with him as he crawled to the edge of the bed.

"What's up?" he asked, getting a nice flush of heat in his balls as Daniel moved up behind him and peered over his shoulder.

Jason closed the drawers abruptly and reopened the top most. "Nothing that can't be saved until later. Right now, there's this." He pulled out some of the contents and placed two bottles, one tube, and one jar on the tabletop. Lube. The bottles were of different brands, both meant for slick, long-lasting sex. Jack snorted and shook his head as he sat up, grabbing one of the bottles. Gun Oil, it said. "You know, military guys have been using real gun oil since its invention. Cracks me up that only now do manufacturers decide to make their own, slightly safer, versions." He turned the bottle over in his hands to read the ingredients and his grin was smug. "Amazingly, not too different from the real thing."

"You used real gun oil?" Daniel asked, finding himself appalled, but more for his own ignorance than in the fact that gun oil had actually been used.

Jack grinned at him sardonically. "Being in combat brings all sorts of ideas," he quipped.

"God, I guess," Daniel answered, noting that Jason wasn't unsurprised by the bottle, either. "Isn't it irritating to the skin?"

Jason answered this time. "It's not like car oil, Daniel, where you have detergents added. Gun oil isn't meant to clean, only lubricate, which is one small reason why guns have to be cleaned after each use."

Daniel held out his hand and Jack handed him the bottle. He sat back and flipped up the top pour spout, squeezing a couple of drops onto his fingertips. He rubbed and was surprised by the slickness.

Jack picked up the second bottle, a water-based substance, but put it aside when Jason held up the jar. "Someone have you in mind?" he asked with mischief.

Daniel looked up and guffawed, setting down the 'gun oil' bottle. "Gimme that," he said and Jason handed him the jar. It read, Jack Jelly. "Meant for masturbation and fisting," he read, and didn't bother to hide the blush since he was supposed to be in role play. He wanted to comment but that would require breaking the role play, so he handed the jar back and asked Jack, "So you've never seen these before?"

Jack, again, shook his head. "Nope, but then the usual drug store variety has always been enough. Perhaps we should start buying the special stuff if it works better."

Daniel held up the 'gun oil' bottle and waved it. "It's certainly slick enough." He looked over just as Jason brought out a couple of slender-molded ribbed dildos, one of them curved at the end. The next four items were nearly identical, except for color. Metal and latex rubber cock rings. One of the metal rings had a ball on it, which meant that men weren't the only visitors to this room.

"Don't need those, do we?" Daniel asked on purpose, his 'character' expecting the question to be rhetorical.

"I beg to differ," Jason replied, jogging his eyebrows at Jack. Jack's lips twitched in another smile as he nodded and picked up a silver cock ring and a gold cock ring. "Choose one, Daniel," he said with undisguised interest.

Daniel felt his dick twitch and looked down. "Don't I need to be soft for those?"

Jack shook his head, and picking the silver one. "It looks like it'll fit," he said. "Kneel for me," he asked.

Swallowing, Daniel rose off his heels and knelt, hands going out to steady them on Jack's shoulders as the man slid the quarter-inch round steel ring over his cockhead and down the shaft until it rested snugly against the base. It felt strange, heavy, but it didn't hurt to be there. He was hard, but not straining, and since he'd neatly shaved recently, the ring didn't pinch. The feel of it seemed to make him harder and Jack made it worse (better) by reaching out to give his cock a couple of strokes.

"How's that feel?" Jack asked him, removing his hand.

Daniel moaned between bitten lips. "The ring or your stroking?"

"The ring," Jack told him, and pushed Daniel back on the bed and laid on top of him once more. "You're going to fuck me," he said, as if it were something that had already happened.

Daniel laughed at the outrageousness of it, and forced himself to remember that he was unused to this sort of sex; that is, sex with two men. "Are you sure you want me to do that? Perhaps Jason would be better--"

"Think again," Jack said, spilling some oil onto his fingers and reaching for Daniel's cock.

Daniel moved out of the way, grinning, and found the dangerous look back in Jack's eyes, which weren't on him anymore but on Jason. Daniel looked over and heard his own breath being caught.

Jason settled at the head of the bed, leaning back against the right post, the jar open and the white oily paste on his fingers. Spreading his legs and bending one to keep out of Jack and Daniel's way, he stroked himself, twisting his hand over the head in a repeated up and down corkscrewing motion. He was watching his lovers with intense interest. "Keep going," he whispered.

Daniel pushed up to look, staring. "You're going to sit there and jerk off?" he asked.

"For a while, until you make Jack come all over himself."

Jack grinned at Daniel's expression. Daniel didn't say anything but his eyes betrayed his feelings. "And then?" he asked.

Jason quietly said, "Then I'm going to fuck you very, very hard."

Daniel groaned and found Jack's eyes sparkling with mischief. "Lie back with your head on the pillows," Jack asked and sat back, waiting for Daniel to move. Once settled, Jack kissed his way up his body before quickly taking his hands and placing them over his head. "Slide your hands under the pillow and keep them there."

Daniel shivered with anticipation as he did so, gasping quickly after when Jack inflicted more bites over his throat, his ear, down over his pecs, inhaling the sharp spice of musk under Daniel's arms. "God you smell good." Daniel shivered at his voice, too. He was suddenly struck how slick their bodies were with sweat, not water. He couldn't speak for Jack, but for himself, he was on fire; the touches from his lover making him pant, making him writhe.

"Do you want a taste?" Jack asked, crawling further up his body and stopping when he reached Daniel's waist. He straddled him and hissed when Daniel's fingers wrapped around his cock.

Daniel knew he couldn't play hard to get--so to speak. Instead, he played coy. It should prove... interesting. "Taste what? Your cock? It sounds good but I've forgotten how, I think. Or maybe I've never done it correctly. Why don't you show me."

Jack's heart rate increased. God, this would be good. "You start by taking my cock," he began, and surrounded Daniel's hand with his own. "And you place it in here." He moved his hand to Daniel's mouth.

Daniel shook his head, his eyes clearly full of wicked mischief. "Show me." He caught Jason grinning at the new game he was initiating and felt a warm shudder up the back of his thighs.

"Will this help?" Jack asked coyly, one eye on Jason jerking off and the other on Daniel as he pushed two fingers into Daniel's open mouth. When Daniel opened wider, Jack moved them slowly back and forth, feeling himself get harder when Daniel began to suck at them, his tongue caressing around and between.

Daniel moaned and pulled Jack's fingers from his mouth, licking his lips as if he'd just eaten something delectable. "Nice, but no. You have to demonstrate what you want."

With a low growl that made his lovers laugh softly, Jack pushed himself up. With a quick movement, he was then straddling Daniel's shoulders. The fact that his legs were pushed wide only enhanced the feel of it. He looked down into Daniel's face and saw a glint of mischief, then felt the brush of a fingertip over his exposed sphincter, teasing the sensitive nerves. Jack groaned, wanting more. He adjusted his hips and thrust, lightly rubbing the length of his cock over Daniel's face.

"Take this into your mouth."

"Show me," Daniel breathed under the shaft, his lips now pink and bruised-looking with desire.

With a softer groan, Jack took hold of his cock and rubbed the cockhead over Daniel's lips. "Lick the head, get it wet."

Daniel started to get hard, and only by the tone of Jack's voice and the look in his eyes. Feral, wanton. He loved that look. Sliding his hands under his pillow, trapping them, Daniel proceeded to use his tongue; licking the salty skin with just the tip of his tongue, making his mouth water. He swirled over the hot, taut skin, licking along the cleft and around the ridge.

He lifted his head, opening his lips, and covered the slit and half the dome in a sucking kiss that made Jack moan.

"Take the head in your mouth," Jack asked as he grasped the top of the headboard and held on, using it for leverage as well as control.

Opening wider, Daniel took the head in his mouth, sliding his lips over it again and again as his tongue played with the slit.

"Yes," Jack whispered, his eyes shining at the warm pleasure that suffused his body. Daniel's tongue sent tingling sensations over his balls, his ass, through the end of his cock, and if Jack could only make himself keep still, he'd love this even more.

Jason pulled at his cock in lazy voyeurism as he watched his lovers act out the scene Daniel started. He kept his strokes slow, occasionally rubbing the head, staving off his need to come in favor of the roiling pleasure that moved throughout his body. Only when his lovers' bodies began to shine with sweat did he realize his own skin was damp with it. As he brought his other hand to his balls, Jason wondered what would bring him off; what his lovers would do to make him come.

He fought off the feeling inside him that made him want to fuck, to feel his cock buried inside a tight, hot channel, caressed by friction that would pull his balls tighter and tighter against his body until he came. He could wait for that, would wait for that. He would put off getting fucked again, not because his ass was a little tender from Jack's rough fuck earlier but because he wanted to keep that feeling fresh, too. Their time here was going to be damn good, and judging from Daniel's actions right now, it was going to be.

Daniel licked at the head of Jack's cock with deliberately slow flicks of his tongue, loving that he could make Jack's thighs tremble. Leaning in, he watched his lover twitch through each little sucking kiss over the head. Dropping back, he smiled, his eyes rarely leaving Jack's face except to look at the state he was creating.

Tightening his fists and curling his arms a little more, he raised his head and shoulders so that he could slide the tip of Jack's cock more efficiently in and out of his mouth. His sucking strength was normal, intending to make Jack beg him to suck harder, and he was rewarded when Jack let out a shuddering breath.

Daniel knowingly pulled back, letting Jack's cock drop from his mouth. "Something wrong?" he asked, pretending he'd done something wrong.

Jack's arms practically vibrated with the strain of holding onto the headboard. "No, no. Just...not so light. Suck harder."

Daniel took the head back in his mouth, but instead of sucking, hard or light, he used his teeth and gently dragged them over the sensitive surface. He couldn't help but smile around the hot, silky skin when Jack gnashed his teeth and hissed at the sharp pleasure. He knew what Jack wanted but was damned if he'd give it to him so soon. He pulled back, flicking his tongue over the slit.

"That what you meant?" he asked in an innocent tone.

"God," Jack said, staring into his eyes. "Please."

Opening his mouth around a smile, Daniel let Jack guide his cock back into him, licking around the underside and sucking just a little harder as he allowed Jack to fuck his mouth. His lover's hips rocked back and forth in a slow, maybe even gentle, rhythm, but it didn't fool Daniel. He could feel the tension in Jack's cock as it thickened even more from the stimulation of his mouth; the skin was reddish with blood, the skin taut and shiny from his spit and Jack's pre-come.

He tightened his fingers in the pillow and raised his head a little and moaned. Jack let out a harsh exhalation and moved a little faster and if Daniel could have smiled at that, he would have. Sucking harder, he felt the twitches under the skin, wondering how much longer he could do this before Jack would come.

Daniel's answer was Jack's sudden withdrawal as he moved his hips away from that tantalizing mouth. He closed his eyes against the sight of him, knowing that he could come just from the combination of watching and feeling.

"So that's what you wanted," Daniel said as he licked his lips. "Nice."

"Yes," Jack breathed, thinking over what was to happen next, but Daniel had already decided.

Keeping his eyes on Jack's, Daniel fumbled to his right where he'd last seen the bottle of gun oil. "I have an idea, Jack," he said with quiet intensity.

"What's that?" Jack asked eagerly.

Blindly squirting a liberal amount onto his cock, Daniel stroked the lube over his own rock hard cock. "Keep your hands on the headboard. I'd like to try something. It should work since you're a bit taller than me."

Jack cocked an eyebrow with lustful curiosity. "Okay," he said, holding on and waiting.

Daniel reached up toward Jack's ass, his oily fingers moving over the skin, sliding between the cleft, and rubbing over Jack's opening. Jack actually tensed, but out of surprise; Daniel probed him without entering, teasing him with more oil, massaging his balls and perineum. "Move back and line up, Jack," Daniel told him, his fingers still pressing but not entering his lover. He had a feeling that neither he nor Jack wanted him worked open.

Jack's eyes widened and he swallowed as he moved back carefully, stretched out as he held onto the headboard, his knees around Daniel's hips. Daniel was right; he could do this because his upper body was just a little taller than Daniel's, his arms' reach just a bit longer.

Their eyes locked, Daniel's breath came in heavy puffs as he lined his cock up and teased the opening. He squirted more oil from the bottle between Jack's buttocks, letting it run down the crack and over the hole. "Hold still," Daniel said breathlessly and pushed up only enough to work in the oil--again, without entering.

Jack groaned and started to close his eyes but Daniel's demanding voice stopped him.

"No, keep your eyes on mine. All the time." He pushed up again, making their bodies and the bed wet with oil as he applied oil once more between Jack's cleft.

Jack grit his teeth, rocking into Daniel's cock, feeling the hint of pressure, but Daniel wasn't entering him. It was driving him crazy and he loved it. "Daniel..."

"Does it feel good?" Daniel asked.

"You can see that it does," Jack told him, impatient and buzzed with need.

"Say the magic word," Daniel suddenly teased as he quickly bent his knees and placed the soles of his feet flat on the bed.

Jack's breath hitched. "Please."

Holding himself in place, Daniel pushed up slowly, gasping as the head of his cock slowly disappeared inside. The metal cock ring seemed to be tightening, though Daniel knew it was only his cock that was strained. The effect on his cock wasn't bad; on the contrary, the tight fit was nice; securing. He would stay hard after he came, and that would be damned handy if Jack didn't come until after he did.

Daniel dropped his hips down, pulling down, out. It was hard to do this slowly but he managed, considering the motivation. When he thrust up again, and again, he kept his strokes short but hard, plunging deeper each time. When his balls met Jack's, Daniel pushed against the inside of Jack's thighs, spreading him wider, before he tightened his fingers over the hipbones. It was difficult to hold him, but Jack soon got with the program, and obliging, Daniel was allowed to move freely. He rocked up in a slow, even rhythm, watching Jack's face turn from a grimace of pleasure to one of open-mouthed awe.

"You feel so fucking good," he told him, giving Jack a hard, short thrust.  Jack groaned loudly, circling his hips once as Daniel ground into him. The look in his eyes told Daniel that while their fucking was practically ordinary, the refusal to look away, making it forbidden, made it hot. Daniel would come soon, and god, he needed it; he needed to watch Jack come just as much.

"Talk to me," Jack managed between pants as Daniel began to thrust again, each upward contact hard and delicious. Fucking this way took more effort but the results were spectacular. It also helped that they hadn't fucked like this in a while.

"How?" Daniel asked, still pretending to stay in his role, though all three men had pretty much discarded it. It was difficult to maintain a character when you were getting fucked good and hard. The game was over; what they entertained now was yet another game, another short fantasy, and the ways they'd make each other come.

"Dirty," Jack told him. "Filthy, suggestive. Talk dirty to me."

"Is that what gets you off, Jack?" Daniel asked in a taunting tone, moving his hips harder. "You want to hear me say that I love fucking you? I do. Long and slow, or short and fast and hard. What else should I say? Would you rather I be dirtier, and tell you that you're a hot bitch who loves the feel of my cock screwing into you?"

"Yes," Jack replied unsteadily as Daniel hit the mark. The words, in Daniel's voice, brought him pleasure and he was never going to ask why. All that mattered was that shudders went through him and up his spine every time Daniel spoke.

"Good, so good," Daniel went on, words breathy and hitched as he held onto Jack and lifted his body off the bed, his feet used for leverage. "Love being fucked, don't you? Would love it anywhere, wouldn't you? In front of anyone. Would love to have them see me fill you, watch as my cock goes in," and he eased in slow, "and out," and pulled down. "You want them to see me fuck you stupid," and he slammed up, repeatedly.

"Yes," Jack breathed, "yes."

"Such a slutty little bitch," Daniel went on, his strokes getting harder, faster. "Begging me because you need this, want this, and will do anything for me to fuck you or you to fuck me. Wouldn't you, Jack?" Short, rapid strokes now, and Daniel knew his orgasm approached, knew Jack was close, too. He couldn't slow down or stop, and didn't want to; didn't dare. He fucked Jack as quick and hard as he could, eyes still on him, blinking away the stinging sweat that dripped onto his face.

Jack tried to reply but couldn't. His brain wasn't working anymore. He was on instinct now, feelings and emotions only. He was almost there...almost...and Daniel felt so goddamn good.

With a vicious burst of power, Daniel bared his teeth and thrust up like a demon, eyes wide open--the intensity of the pleasure was always a surprise. As he began to shoot, he let out one short yell after another, coming hard. Again. It was unreal. Jack gasped his name and came with him, his cock releasing shot after shot onto Daniel's chest and throat, and he dropped on top of him, kissing him, nuzzling him, rubbing his come into his lover's skin.

Jason choked off a moan when his balls tightened...and nothing else happened. He'd held himself back too damn long. Letting out an aggravated sigh, he loosened his fingers and gave his cock a slow, easy stroke, biting his lips as the pleasure turned acute.

"Jason," came Daniel's voice, and Jason looked up, finding Daniel disentangling himself from Jack and both of them crawling over to him. Daniel was still hard from the ring, but he ignored it as he moved between his legs, sliding two oiled fingers behind his balls. "Open for me."

Jason was glad; he was still sore, but he could take Daniel's fingers anytime. He lifted his knees, his left hand behind the left knee, bringing it to his chest, opening himself as Daniel commanded him. As his lover pushed his slick fingers inside, fucking him with precise, accurate thrusts, Jason felt Jack's hand at his balls, rubbing and massaging.

"Move your hand again, Jace," Jack asked, leaning over to bite at his ear while his hand left his balls and surrounded Jason's hand. "Jerk off for me. I love watching you touch yourself." He kissed him then, his tongue hard and possessive, and slowly pulled his hand away, feeling his lover's hand take over, pumping with insistent need.

As he moved with increasing speed, Jason's breathing became labored and hitched. Daniel built up the rhythm of his fingers, feeling a warm pleasure as Jason responded with a tight groan. "God, yes, Jace, that's it. Give in to it," Daniel urged, his voice seductive but urgent, plunging his fingers deep and rubbing the sensitive gland.

"Yes, Jason, yes," Jack encouraged. "Come for me, let me see you come."

"God," Jason panted, rocking his hips faster in time with Daniel's fingers, in time with their suggestive, goading words. Then Daniel leaned in and pressed his tongue hard under Jason's balls, rubbing that one sensitive spot, and Jason let go with a loud desperate cry, throwing his head back, his body going rigid. Daniel rubbed harder with both his tongue and his fingers while Jack spurred them both on with lewd, taunting phrases. Jason came, shooting thickly over his belly and chest, coming for a year.

"Jesus Christ," he panted heavily, vaguely aware of Jack cleaning him with his tongue.

"Was it good?" Daniel asked smugly as he smoothed Jason's legs down and crawled over him. Jack chuckled when Daniel's answer was Jason's mouth on his before he knew what hit him.

 

 

TBC in part 2


	2. Playground 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plot? What plot? Just some learning and playing.

_Late evening?_ Jason thought as he rose to take a leak, eyes sliding over the pendulum clock that sat by the door. Time was moving slowly and he was used to it zipping by as he lived through crisis after crisis. Right now, there weren't any, and he told himself to be grateful for that, because eventually, they'd have to leave and go back home. Jason really wasn't looking forward to that. Too many changes were coming down the line. He could feel it.

Shaking off his gloomy thoughts, Jason rubbed at his chest and abdomen, flaking off the dried come. He needed a shower but really didn't have the desire to do more than piss and crawl back into bed... where his lovers were. He looked over his shoulder, taking in their sleeping forms. He couldn't help the emotions that filled him or the smile that stretched the corner of his mouth.

Entirely too indulgent of him, he wished for a camera. He'd take a picture of them, just as they were, and after retiring, he'd put this perfect moment to canvas. That'd make one hell of a late birthday present for Jack. Or an early one for Daniel. Or maybe a gift _just because_. Annoyance crept in at the guilt that formed. Who was he to criticize gift-givers when he was thinking of things like this? The humidity was affecting his mind, that's what it was.

Picking up Daniel's damp shorts to hang them in the bathroom, Jason tried to remember just when they'd brought in their clothes. Shrugging it off, he automatically felt inside the pockets for anything that shouldn't have gotten wet from the waterfall and touched something strange. He found a wet, blue substance on his fingertips and nails; judging by the consistency, it felt like barely dissolved pill tablets. Sniffing, he then tasted it and his eyes grew round, wondering where on earth Daniel had--

"I found the pills in that room," Daniel said sleepily, and pushed up on his elbows. "I was thinking we'd take them, but I forgot. I wonder why."

Jason turned, catching his breath at the sight of his thoroughly mussed lover, and felt his body react.   _Damn it, Daniel_.

"These," he said, clearing his throat, "will probably come in handy later." He took the shorts into the bathroom and washed his fingers off before relieving himself. When he returned and crawled up alongside Daniel's warm body, his lover pulled him close. Smells assaulted Jason's nose as he burrowed. Musk, sweat, come. He growled a noise of contentment and was thinking about turning to seek a kiss, but burrowing was a lazier option at the moment and he closed his eyes.

Jack, roused by the motion of the large bed, realized that his back was to his bed mates. He turned over, eyes half open, and found Daniel on his back, eyes closed, an arm around Jason -- who seemed to be doing a good impression of a gopher.

That wasn't a bad idea, either. He stretched to regain contact, feeling the pull of sleep, mild arousal, and the contentment that nothing important was waiting. He didn't _have_ to get out of bed, didn't have to go gallivanting across the universe, didn't have to do _anything_. He burrowed, like Jason, and snuffled Daniel's neck. This was nice.

Daniel giggled and rubbed his skin. "Jack."

Jack bit the fingers in protest and Daniel giggled again and shoved Jack away from his neck. "Are we, by any chance, discussing certain well known blue pills?" Jack asked, skimming mischievous fingers over Daniel's chest.

Daniel grabbed the pinky with the ring on it and bit over the first knuckle. " _We_ were," he clarified.

"No, it's _we_ we...we," Jack corrected, frowning at himself, then at Daniel's third giggle. "Anyway, _we_ may need those pills before _we're_ outta here." His eyes narrowed. "Daniel... you were giggling."

Indignant at being called on it, Daniel sniffed. "I was not. That's my version of a tired laugh."

Jack's stomach interrupted, growling loudly. He rubbed it, not even bothering with an embarrassed expression. "Well, I'm hungry," he announced, rolling away and sitting up, feet on the floor. "I could use a beer, too. You guys wanna join me?" He knew Jason wasn't asleep yet.

"Depends on what your friend has stocked," Daniel answered, and purposely pushed Jack down on the bed and crawled over him in an effort to get off the bed. It was weird, the way he felt as he moved over him. His body may have had pleasure no more than a few hours ago, but he felt as if he'd taken some sort of aphrodisiac. If he'd taken the blue pill, his dick would now be reflecting his body.

Jack put an arm out and stopped him. "What're you doing?" he asked chidingly.

"Getting out of bed?" Daniel offered with a cheeky grin, locking his arms and holding himself away from Jack's tempting mouth. Sometimes it was fun to tease without it going anywhere. Jack's eyes seemed to be darkening though so he amended his thought to ' _probably_ not going anywhere.'

"No," Jack answered, "you were being a prick tease."

"No," Daniel countered, "that was me attempting to get out of bed and you just happened to be in my way."

Jack's mock-scowl deepened.  "What am I, road kill?"

Muffled laughter filled the short silence as Jason rolled off the other side and got up. "You two crack me up."

"At least I'm good for something," Jack growled.

Daniel was _not_ rising to the easy bait.

Padding into the kitchen, Jack and Jason grabbed their beers while Daniel, again, got out a glass for some wine. The fridge contained sealed packages of smoked salmon, and there were leftover salad ingredients brought with them that morning. Fixing themselves a light, if late, evening dinner, they moved to the living room and settled into the room's long, oversized sofa.

They ate in silence, leaving the lights low, listening to the soft sounds of the surf. In the far distance were periodic sounds of buoys, ship's horns and gulls. Once finished, and nursing their second beers and one more glass of wine, they comfortably overlapped each other on the spacious couch. Jason reclined at one end, Jack the other, their backs against the arms of the couch, one leg on the floor. Lying between them was Daniel, his head in Jason's lap and his feet snug between Jack and the back of the couch.

Jack spied the remote on the coffee table in front of them and his eyes inevitably travelled to his left, fixing on the large-screened TV that sat in the right corner next to more French doors that opened out to the deck and the back yard. He'd forgotten just how spacious the place was. It looked so small from the outside.

Reaching a long arm out, he _just_ grabbed the remote and heard a sigh coming from a certain someone whose heels were digging into his hip. Jack slapped the remote on top of Daniel's feet.

"Hey!" Daniel complained.

"Hey yourself. You're digging into my hip. Stop it. Old guy here."

Jason rolled his eyes right along with Daniel, then sighed dramatically. "I never thought so, but since you keep insisting that's the case, Daniel and I will find you a rocker, won't we, Daniel?"

"Absolutely." Daniel couldn't--no, wouldn't--avoid smiling as Jason began to build up the goad.

"I mean, threesomes can probably get a little tedious, even if I'd never noticed, but you _must_ find it taxing on your poor _old_ heart, Jack."

"Yeah, poor thing," Daniel chimed in. "I'll get those blue pills for you--for when you think you're feeling up to taking them, that is. They're also supposed to help calm down the heart, or shrink over-sized ones, or something."

Jack watched them grin ear-to-ear as they teased his not-so-flagging ego. He knew they'd rise to the bait. Daniel had ignored the one earlier, but not this time. Jack supposed they got tired of hearing him complain about his age, especially when he was not all that much older than they were. Nine years, as he kept trying to remind himself, was not that much older. Although...

"Okay, very funny," he griped.

"You aren't old," Jason snapped, annoyed that Jack was doing it again.

" _Only_ nine years here, Jack," Daniel said, and felt Jason nudge him. _Jack was expecting this._

Jack appeared to look contemplative. "Only nine years, right, but what is that really?"

"What, in dog years?" Jason asked sarcastically.

"No," Jack glowered, getting quickly irritated. "The differences between fifteen and twenty-four, for instance. Or between seventy and sixty-one. _Huge_ scope there."

"Yes," Jason began, "One foot out of the cradle, the other in the grave. The point, if you ever find it yourself, is that nine years doesn't make a whole lot of difference in the long run because our age differences won't be apparent. When Daniel's seventy, I'll be seventy-three and you'll be seventy-nine. We'll _all_ be _old_ , Jack. Nine or six years won't make a damn bit of difference to Daniel."  Which was really the unspoken reason he had problems with the age difference and Jason knew it.

So did Daniel.  "Damn right it won't. I'll buy us all porch swings and rockers. But, Jack?" and he paused, staring, making sure that Jack was listening to him around the glare--which sometimes meant Jack was letting whatever he didn't want to hear go in one ear and out the other. "Seventy-nine is not in five years, not in ten, but in _thirty_. Thirty. I think we've got some time, providing we don't kill each other first."

Jack didn't want to grin, or smile, but he could feel his mouth twitching. He had to cover it up, and move quickly past the mistake he'd made in ever making the comment. "Point taken," he said, and pressed the power button on the remote.

The next second, all three men were sitting up in alarm, beverages nearly spilt, as the TV blared sound from every-fucking-where. Jack frantically searched the remote's tiny, busy features for the apparently hidden mute button. Found, and pressed, the sudden silence was as deafening as the sudden noise.

They allowed their bodies to relax while picking up pieces of food -- and eating them.

"Well, um," Daniel frowned, "this place is obviously wired for sound."

"Ya think?" Jack asked, then added contritely, "Sorry about that, I didn't know. This wasn't here the last time." He decided that maybe he'd check out the TV later and hit the power button once more. The light from the TV blanked out, leaving them in a soft glow once more that abruptly made the room seem too dark.

As they settled back to their previous positions, Daniel stared into his wine glass, wondering how to broach the subject that hadn't ever left his mind. In the end, he decided to stop thinking and say it. "Do you guys want to check out that room tomorrow, or should we leave it be for awhile?"

They stared at him, at each other, then shrugged.

"I, um, didn't get a _good_ look at everything in that room," Daniel went on, "but..."

"But?" Jason asked, fingers carding through Daniel's hair.

"I checked out that doll."

Jason's fingers stopped moving and Daniel craned his neck, looking up. Jason let out the breath he'd been holding and asked, "Checked out?"

When Daniel looked down and across his body at Jack, his lover was looking at him curiously.

"And?" Jack asked.

Daniel could swear his lovers just became extremely uncomfortable. "I don't know why that doll that freaks you guys out so much. To my surprise, I found the damn thing fascinating. Probably helps that it doesn't look like one of those plastic blow up dolls."

Jack's brow knotted. "It's not...plastic?"

With a grin, Daniel shook his head slowly. "From the feel, it's pure silicone molding."

"God," Jason groaned. Daniel said it but Jason hadn't really known what he'd meant. 'Checked out' meant _checked out_. Jesus.

"What?" Daniel asked, craning his neck again, and making sure he didn't press into Jason's groin at the same time. _Not_ a good feeling.

"I didn't think you checked it out that way. I thought, you know, you'd just looked it over."

Daniel turned back around and took a sip from his glass. "No, Jace. I touched it. Why the hell does that bother you guys?"

"It doesn't," Jack started, shifting uncomfortably. "Exactly. It's just...you did it alone."

"I didn't exactly have company and I didn't feel like waiting."

Jack and Jason exchanged knowing looks. It was just like Daniel on a mission.

"Okay, fair enough," Jack returned, "And maybe it's not really the doll freaks me out, but the room. Or rather, the atmosphere it gives off."

Jason nodded. "I agree." He cleared his throat. "So, tell us what you meant when you said you checked out that doll?"

Daniel gave them both a mischievous look, and with a little payback for some sniping at him on the Beta Site, he explained what happened in glorious, technicolor detail.

"So, that's what happened," he finished, smug that both his lovers now had empty beer bottles. "If you're bothered that I didn't wait, maybe you should consider the role play, and that you two left me alone to look."

Jack cleared his throat. "Looking was fine, Daniel."

"But why did you do all that without us?" Jason added.

Daniel took a deep breath and rubbed Jason's leg. "I'm sorry, but I had the opportunity and truthfully, I didn't wait because I was wound up and annoyed by that little threat you made about the two of you having an outlet and not me. In case I teased you, that is."

"What?" Jason asked, startled. "But I didn't mean...oh shit, Daniel."

"I didn't think that was fair, but I accepted the parameters of the role play so I can't complain, especially since it ended up great."

Jack winced. "Sorry, Daniel. I shouldn't have goaded you like that."

"Me, too," Jason added.

"S'okay," Daniel said quietly. He paused, then asked, "Does it really bother you that much that I checked out that doll?"

"No," Jack said, sighing. "I just wish you'd waited. I like to share new things with you so I feel a little..."

"Left out?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, now you know how I felt when you two ran off to check out that room and left me walking to the bungalow."

His lovers froze at the sharp sound of his words.

"Sorry," Daniel said sheepishly. "It was actually the only part of the role play I didn't like all that much."

"Why didn't you--" Jason started.

"Say something?" Daniel finished. "Because if being a little uncomfortable is going to stop a role play, then there's no point in having it, is there? I'm fine, Jace. I'm just pointing out that there's no point in getting worked up over something that couldn't be helped--on both our sides. Besides, you guys knew I'd go in there and don't tell me you didn't. If you'd wanted to be there, you would have been."

His lovers shared a grimace, agreeing.

"So, either of you want to tell me why that room spooks you so much? It's not like we _wouldn't_ use a lot of the things in there."

"True," Jack allowed, "but in the bedroom or the kitchen, or basically anywhere outside that room. It makes me uncomfortable."

Daniel's eyes narrowed, as if he expected Jack to say that. In truth, he only had a vague feeling. "Can you say why?"

Jack shook his head, and Daniel looked at Jason for the answer. "Is it the same for you?"

"What? The room? Yeah, I think so," Jason said, thinking it over. "As for why..." He thought about it, eyeing Jack as he did. "Perhaps it's misunderstanding, perhaps not, but I get a mixed feeling I'm not entirely comfortable with, even if it does bring up the usual arousal. I like using some of the toys I saw in there, but overall, the room just gives me a weird feeling. Maybe it's the furniture or that sling," Jason said, then fell silent as he concentrated on remembering how he'd felt. "When we were in that room, Jack only had to put his hands on my waist and I got hard." He swallowed and gave Jack a smirk. "Although that could've just been Jack, not the room."

"You believe that?" Daniel asked.

Jason was hesitant, but eventually nodded. "It was Jack, and _maybe_ it was also the room. I had an image and..."

Daniel was confused. "So... you don't like the room, but you like the feelings you got _in_ the room. That... makes no sense."

Jason grimaced. "Jack? Care to help?"

Jack gestured at him. "You're the one with the psych major."

Jason sighed and ran a hand through his hair in irritation as he thought things over. Some ideas came to him. "I _think_ it's to do with pain. Maybe. The sadomasochistic element. While we all like small forms of pain, a great deal of it is not on our menu of preferences. Though I don't think that small amounts of pain are masochistic, like comparing nipple pinching or twisting to the use of clamps, I simply wouldn't call my preferences that...though I could be wrong... technically."

With a frown creasing his brow, Jason added, "It sounds like I'm avoiding the issue when I say it like that. Look," and he nudged Daniel to sit so he could look at him. "You got off when I bit you. That hurt but not a lot, right?"

"Yeah," Daniel drawled.

"And we got off on Adriann and the other vampires, even though they didn't _exactly_ hurt us. That's more a power and control issue, if you ask me, and here, there's also the issue of control, too, like with Jack and his new found...kink?" He smiled at him and Jack's cheeks actually pinked a little, which made Jason want to gather him in his arms, but he stayed where he was.

Jack sighed and blew out a slow breath, and with it, the pink in his cheeks. "I don't know precisely what it is about being hit on the ass, but I do know that I feel aroused by the idea _only_ during sex, no other time. While we like very mild forms of pain, I think it's tied to sex, not by itself. Maybe getting hit is sexually gratifying in a way but I've read that a lot of people don't get off. There's a different kind of pleasure there."

"Euphoria," Daniel answered, nodding. At his lovers' curious looks, he added, "Oh stop it. I read about it."

Jack gave him a small smile, then went on. "If we weren't having sex and either of you struck me and caused me severe pain, that would be the end of that kink. Fetish. Whatever. Maybe I can play in that room, but not... as it's meant for, I think. Take some of the _toys_ in that room and put them in the bedroom, and I'd be willing to try them. But I won't be chained to that table or hung from the ceiling. Sorry, but I won't."

"Don't be sorry, Jack," Daniel chided softly, taking his foot and rubbing it over Jack's.

"Are you satisfied with the reasons?" Jack asked him.

"Yes, but I didn't need to be. But the question is, are you and Jason satisfied with the reasons? Can you check out that room with me and see what else is in there? There _are_ a few things I wouldn't mind playing with."

Jack nodded as he took a sip from his bottle, then gestured at Jason. "I'm fine with it, within certain limits. You?"

"Yeah, the same. Daniel, I have to ask, even if I don't--"

"Ask."

"Do you want to experiment with pain?"

Daniel's eyes widened quite large. "Um, _no_ ," he said emphatically. "Not like what we were discussing. It's not something I need, and I think I'd have to for it to do me any good. Playing around with it isn't a good idea, and I won't have you guys doing something you don't know how to do."

Jason nodded. "That makes sense. You'd have to know _how_ to inflict that sort of pain. Especially wielding a whip."

Jack shuddered. "Yeah, you do. The right _kind_ of pain and in the right _way_. You simply can't pick up a whip, a belt, or anything else, and hit someone without causing damage. I think the point in S and M is to bring pain, not disfigurement. I've seen my friend leave welts on his...friends, but I never saw blood. He never broke the skin."

Jason suddenly snorted. "Doesn't mean a lot there. Old martial arts techniques can kill without breaking the skin."

Daniel winced. "Yeah, and not just martial arts. I may be attracted to a little pain, but getting welts is too much. I don't want evidence that remains past an hour. Well," and he sudden grinned wickedly, "except a sore ass, but that's different."

"Agreed," Jason answered with a flinch of a smile. "I don't think we need to go in there tomorrow, though. Maybe in a few days. Do you need to go in there, Daniel?"

"Need? No. I can wait."

Jack shook his head. "Don't wait on our account. If you're curious, go look. I see no reason we can't explore that room, and more so because we've talked about it, but like Jason, I'd like to wait. See if I can figure out what bothers me. I can say that it isn't about the domination-submission theme because you guys know that I like a little domination during sex." They smiled secretively. "I know for a fact that you don't mind that, either."

Daniel looked over his shoulder, sensing a tension. "Jace? Anything else?"

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Um, like Jack, I'd like to examine what bugs me about the room. But kind of changing the subject here. You guys know how much I like bondage. What the room did do, good or bad, was prompt me to find out just how much bondage I like. I'd like to find out how far I can go."

"You want to play, see how far you can take it?" Daniel asked.

Jason nodded, and looked at Jack specifically. "Will you guys do this for me?"

They were a little startled, but not worried or afraid. They agreed, nodding.

Eyeing Jack carefully, Jason then asked, "Um, this isn't exactly a change of subject, either, but..."

"Spit it out, Jace."

"You haven't said yet and we'd like to know," Jason said and gestured between himself and Daniel, who raised his brows in question. "How'd you end up here fifteen years ago?"

Daniel nodded at the question but was a little surprised by Jack's reaction. "Is it that bad?"

"No," Jack said quickly. "It's not bad at all. Just the time frame. It was just after I got back from Iraq."

"Oh," Daniel replied and saw Jason cringe.

"Sorry," Jason started but Jack held up his hand.

"Hang on, Jace, it's okay." He felt his skin flush with the memories that came back to him. He'd been hurt and scared back then, and Stef had listened, shared, and pushed. "Just give me a second." Which turned out to be several minutes so Jason took advantage of that and got up to get himself and Jack two more beers and refilled Daniel's glass.

After Jason sat back down, Jack took a deep breath and finally explained.

"I was on medical leave when I got back. It wasn't helping, either. Too many nightmares I had no idea how to deal with and the post-traumatic shit had me jumping at fucking shadows. So when I was called back to work, they noticed right off that something was wrong.

"The Flight Doc had served in Vietnam and Afghanistan, but he didn't know shit about how to deal with this sort of thing. His answer was to ship me off to the base here for three months of supposed rehab, and my temporary commander put me on solo flight patrols in a dumpy-assed cargo plane. It's a duty that's boring as hell and while most guys find that sort of duty healing, I didn't. Too much time by myself, to dwell on what happened. I just tried to repress everything and it came out badly."

Jack grew quiet for a minute, then resumed in a softer voice. "I met Stef in a bar. I'd gone there to get completely shit-faced so I could somehow get back to my quarters and sleep without dreaming. I was, um, doing that a lot. For whatever hair that was up my ass, I was in the mood to fight, not just get drunk. I needed to beat the shit out of something, or get the shit beat out of me. I wasn't particular.

"As it happened, the person I picked a fight with ended up being Stef. He wouldn't coddle a drunk, and I pissed him off pretty good, so he smacked the crap out of me and we both ended up in the local hoosegow. Our different HQs came and got us out, slapped us on the wrists, and we were supposed to carry on as if nothing happened."

"Wait, different HQs? Stef wasn't Air Force?" Jason asked.

"Stef was an Army Major with the Corps of Engineers."

"Stef?" Daniel asked.

"Stefan MacIntosh. His nickname was Mac, actually, but I was stubborn and called him Stef."

"Typical," Daniel snorted. "So what's this guy look like?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I just want to know, Jack," Daniel explained, trying not to get annoyed.

Jack smirked at him. "He's smaller than me. Shouldn't have been able to handle me, but he was. He's about 5'11" with dark brown hair, blue eyes, and a lean, fit body. In fact, that guy from the Tolkien flicks reminds me of him. That ranger who became the king at the end; what's his name."

Daniel gave Jack a crooked grin and nudged his thigh teasingly. "So that's why you like those films."

"No," Jack argued, "that's not why, but that guy _does_ remind me of Stef. Handsome. Same quiet nature. Loyal to a fault. Stef had...and still does, no doubt...everyone wrapped around his little finger. One of those guys with a shitload of charisma but not someone who bandies it about."

Jason tapped Daniel's arm and winked. "Sound like someone we know?" Daniel nodded and they looked back at Jack with silly grins on their faces.

"Who?" Jack asked, making Jason laugh.

"You," Daniel answered.

Jack shook his head. "No way."

It was of no use to argue about it so Daniel asked, "Is he still in the Army?"

Jack shook his head. "No. He's about five years older than I am, and not long after I left, he retired and took an engineering job with the aerospace industry, I forget whom."

Jason looked around with a smirk. "That explains the money for all this."

Jack grinned. "Yeah, but not really. His family had money because he owned this place fifteen years ago, remember?"

"Right," Jason answered with embarrassment. "So you kept in touch?"

"Yeah." Jack paused and took a drink from his beer. "You want the rest?" he asked nervously. His lovers nodded, as he knew they would. "Okay. Well, anyway, after I got out of restricted duty from that bar fight, Stef invited me here to stay during the rest of my rehab assignment. He actually had access to a Huey and flew me back and forth to the base." Jack thumbed at the back yard. "Used to park it back there. Anyway, he seemed genuinely interested in me, though I still have no idea why. I mean, he had a lover he cared about so it wasn't that. Well, exactly. For reasons he only partially explained later, and I can't tell you about, he understood what was going on with me. Letting me stay here... helped."

"Mind if I ask what you did while you were here?" Jason asked.

"Aside from fishing?" Jack asked, knowing what Jason meant.

"You can't fish here, Jack."

Jack snorted and pointed at the ocean. "You can, with a permit and a big boat, and away from the island where the fish actually are."

"You did that?" Daniel asked.

Jack smiled. "What do you think?"

"Yeah, you did," Jason smirked, "except we don't have a boat."

"I asked," Jack said with a sigh, "and in Stef's last email, he told me that the one he had docked here was heeled during the last storm and pitched against a rather nasty set of rocks. He'll be bringing in a new one when he sails in."

"Sails?" Daniel asked.

"Sails," Jack repeated.

"Must be nice," Daniel muttered. "So how'd he help you?"

"He listened, let me do my own thing."

"Did you... sleep with him?"

Jack looked down at his beer and shrugged. "Nothing happened. At least, nothing physical, apart from a goodbye kiss on the cheek when I left. What he _did_ do was distract me."

"Distract you how?" Jason asked.

"He... let me watch."

"Watch?" Daniel half-asked. He could imagine very well what Jack watched. "You were interested."

Jack grinned. "I didn't say I wasn't, but I was also married to Sara at the time. If I hadn't been, I might have been interested."

"Might?" Jason asked, sensing something was up. "Might? What happened?"

"After I'd been here a while, he ...encouraged me by giving me opportunities to watch. What happened earlier today, with you walking in on me and Jason? Something like that happened with me in your place, only I was outside and they were in here, on the floor." He pointed at the back doors. "I watched through there.

"I couldn't sleep, went out for a walk, and wound up on the deck outside. I walked by those doors in the bedroom that open onto the deck and heard them." Jack paused again and fiddled with the label of his beer. When he next spoke, he didn't look at them. "I watched them. There was none of the Scene stuff. It was the first time I'd felt anything in months, and the first time I'd had any physical reaction, if you know what I mean."

"It's normal, you know," Jason said, and Jack looked up sharply. "It happens to a lot of guys who were P.O.W.s. Happened to me."

Daniel stared, wide-eyed, mouth dropping open. "It did?"

Jason nodded. "Indonesia. Nasty fucking rat-trap. Only two weeks, but it was long enough."

"An hour is long enough," Jack said quietly.

Daniel's mind flashed on a memory of sand, heat, blood, and the stink of camels, and the memory then transformed itself to Abydos. Another time, with similar circumstances, only the animal smell had been different.

"Daniel?" Jack frowned, touching his shoulder.

Daniel jerked out of the memory. "Sorry, Jack, um, you were saying?"

"Where were you?" he asked carefully and flicked a glance at Jason.

"Nowhere important," he answered.

Jason touched his hair and Daniel fought off the reaction to flinch. "I know you've been through a lot, Daniel, same as we have, but we never knew you'd been a P.O.W. on Earth. When?"

Daniel shook his head quickly. "I was never a prisoner of war."

"Then what?"

He could see his lovers wanted to know, wanted to share, and if Jack weren't talking about a traumatic experience, Daniel would have clammed right up. But guilt told him to say _something_ , even if he couldn't talk about all of it. He drank half the wine in his glass before answering.

"When I was seven, my parents were in Egypt, visiting some locals, observing this reconstruction they were doing in Thebes. A group of men came into the area, posing as workers, and kidnapped me one night." He paused when he saw the looks on his lovers' faces. "No, they weren't pedophiles. They were slavers." Jack and Jason made sounds of angry disgust. "I got out of that because one of my Egyptian friends spotted me with them when they were trying to pack up during the night. He ran around the encampment screaming, pissing off the camels, waking everyone up. The slavers got away, but not without getting some serious damage done. I remember a lot of stone throwing." He took a deep breath, then said, "The same fucking thing happened to me a month after we buried the gate on Abydos."

"What?" Jack asked, and quite loudly.

Daniel nodded. "A clan from across the oasis. They came in for trade, as they and others did every year. I wasn't used to fighting for my life, as you well know, even after all that shit with Ra. I just didn't expect it there. I wasn't used to looking for signs of a set-up... or an ambush. I'd gone out to look for a small lizard that Shau're liked. Wanted to give her something. I thought I could do it myself, without Skaa'ra constantly shadowing me. So I ditched him and left. I'd been watched, though, so I made it easy for this one group of men who wanted to sell me." Daniel tapped next to his right eye. "Because of these. My hair and skin color weren't interesting enough, but my eyes? A novelty."

"And you got out of that how?" Jack asked slowly.

"By my own wits and Shau're's stubbornness. She found me in the desert, lost and trying to get my bearings. If I'd been on Earth, I wouldn't have had a problem. But I still wasn't familiar with Abydos' sun or the night sky so I couldn't orient myself back to the village. She found me though. Skaa'ra was with her and he had to hold her back because she wanted to get on one of those beasts and go chase down the bastards who'd harmed me." Daniel winced. "She meant well but I got a lot of teasing for a while. And wanting to learn how to do her 'womanly' chores, like grind flour, did _not_ help."

Jack and Jason had been listening carefully. Daniel's stories didn't sound particularly bad, but the tone in his voice said that more had happened during those two events that had put inevitable scarring on him. When Daniel didn't elaborate on what had happened, they knew better than to ask. If he ever wanted to share, he would. Right now, there really wasn't a need.

"Jesus, Daniel," Jack said after a minute.

"Yeah, let's move on, okay?" Daniel asked, dropping his head back on the edge of the couch.

"You sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"I'm sure. Jack, we were talking about you and then we were talking about me. I'd rather get back to you since it's relevant to what's going on in this place."

Jack sighed. "I guess, but if we ever go to Abydos again..."

Daniel opened his eyes and looked through his lashes. "Moving on here. So you were watching Stef?"

Surprised, Jack snapped, "Hang on, Daniel. Give me a second, okay?"

"Processing?" Daniel grimaced.

"Yeah, processing." It took Jack a minute to get out of the angry mood Daniel's kidnappings had put him in. After a few drinks from his beer, he leaned over and got a generous kiss from Daniel. "Sorry to snap."

"Processing your own stuff, too, I take it?"

"A little bit. There's a lot more."

"Ready when you are."

Jack took another drink. "Okay, well...where was I? Oh, right. I was kind of getting ahead of the story here. On the second night here, I heard hitting." He took a deep breath. "There was a yell after that and I charged into that room and stopped Stef from beating his boyfriend, because that's exactly what I thought he was doing. I grabbed him and threw him against the wall."

Jason and Daniel gave Jack looks of utter surprise. "You didn't," Jason managed.

With a guilty expression, Jack said, "I did. Stef was pissed off, but not as much as I would have been had the situation been reversed. He understood how green I was to that stuff. All I'd ever heard was the stereotyped crap and the shit we make fun of.

"Stef tried to tell me about the scene, explain how things worked, what he did, that it was never non-consensual, but I didn't want to listen." Jack laughed nervously, though it was a sick, self-hating sound. "You see, I thought it _all_ was non-consensual. The relationship he had with his boyfriend. It was oh-so-obvious to me that the guy was seriously messed up. He actually liked getting fucked after Stef hit him so I thought he'd been kow-towed into it. Which, in my eyes, made Stef not just an abusive bully but a rapist."

"Oh no," Daniel reacted, covering his eyes, and Jason closed his.

"Yeah," Jack agreed. "I made Stef feel like shit because I didn't understand. He wasn't able to get me to believe him when he said otherwise. So it was his lover, Rick, who made me listen to the truth. I was sitting on the beach the third night after avoiding them all day. Rick found me and gave me a really good right hook across the jaw." Jack snorted. "Rick was my size. And he was very _pissed off_. Stef wasn't touching him, doing anything with him, and it was because of me.

"Rick came to set me straight, after he'd gotten a few cracks in first. He had me pinned to the sand and was yelling at me, actually crying because he was so mad. He wouldn't let me up, which then pissed _me_ off, so we started trading blows until we were black and blue.

"Stef found us, and when we wouldn't stop fighting, grabbed a fire extinguisher and hosed us." Jack grinned at the memory and his lovers snickered. "Yep, it was funny. Fastest way to stop a fight I'd ever heard of. Stef is inventive. So he stopped the fight, and after some ice packs were applied and pain medication taken, he tried to explain the facts of Scene life to me. Wanna know what made me accept that it was okay, even if I didn't get it? Stef used me against myself. He asked me why I didn't avoid getting into fights. _'Why don't you just walk away?'_ he'd asked. I told him that I wasn't a coward."

"He then explained to you the difference between being a coward and being stupid, right?" Jason asked.

Jack laughed then, a genuine smile. "Yeah. He made me look at fighting from a different angle. _'Does it feel good to get a right cross in the jaw, Jack?'_ he'd asked. I had to admit that I liked getting into fights, and though I didn't like the pain in getting hit, I liked making someone lose control. He told me that that reason was very close to what he and Rick felt when they had controlled pain. I didn't get that, either, but at least I was listening. So they explained it all, with Stef talking most of the time and Rick explaining a few things from his perspective."

"Can I assume that Stef's a Dom?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah, he's a Dom, and like no other one I've met since."

"You've met others?" Daniel asked.

Jack snorted. "Yes, but not on purpose, Daniel. Once you understand some of the scene and meet a Dom, you can sometimes recognize them in other people. Anyway, Stef's the only Dom I've ever met that I liked. Everyone else is fucked up. I can't explain why without sounding seriously judgmental, but Stef explained to me the difference between real Doms and ones who only think they're Doms. Anyway, when my assignment was up and I went home, we still kept in touch, and I appreciated that a lot more than he realized, even now. I'm quite sure that between him and Charlie, they saved my sanity. Sara tried but... she was way too angry with me, even though she didn't mean to be."

"You were a clamshell, Jack," Daniel said suddenly.

"What?" Jason asked.

Daniel demonstrated by pressing his lips together tightly. "Clamshell. When I met him, one needed a knife or a crowbar to get anything out of him."

Jack cringed but agreed. "I'm only marginally better, even though with you two, I can talk up a storm." Daniel snorted and Jack cuffed him gently.

Daniel cuffed him back, then gave Jack a long look. "Can I ask you something about Stef?"

"Sure," Jack replied easily.

"Why don't you call him, ask him here?"

Jack actually blushed and tried to turn away but Daniel touched his arm. "I won't have to," he said looking at them. "He's going to be here during our last week. It coincides with his own vacation plans."

"What?" Jason asked, sitting forward.

"Were you going to tell us?" Daniel asked carefully, trying not to get annoyed.

"Yes, tonight actually."

"Um, is he alone?" Daniel asked, but it wasn't really a question.

Jack shook his head. "I shouldn't think so," and he grinned wolfishly. "I sure as hell wouldn't come here by myself." He paused, thinking, and Jason cocked an eyebrow. "What?"

"I was just wondering...are you looking forward to seeing him?"

"I don't want a Dom, Jason."

"That's not what I meant, Jack, and I think you know that. Do you want to be with him? Have sex, make love, whatever phrase fits."

Jack returned the intense look. "And if I do?"

Jason felt a flush of jealousy; just a spark. It didn't last long, however, the moment he thought of Alex. If Jack still felt something for his friend after all this time, then who was he to get in the way of any remaining, unresolved, fantasies? He still wasn't sure about seeing Alex but he couldn't deny his feelings about the man.

"If you do, then it's okay with me. It would only be fair, considering."

"I agree with Jason," Daniel said. "But I have another question."

"What?" Jack asked.

"Did you ever wind up watching him in that room?"

Jack took in a breath and let it out slowly. "Yeah. I had to. I felt like I owed Stef. I watched a few times, and I think on those times, he went a little easy on Rick. I never stayed long, because I felt guilty for disturbing them. Rick told me later that he got off on it."

Jason grinned to himself.

"What?" Jack asked.

"Maybe he's who let you see that getting off on others watching you was okay."

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. Truth is, I had a lot of repressed feelings. Even gay sex was always a straight-forward affair, if you'll pardon the pun. Which brings me to a few points. From what I saw, that room has changed, so things are new to me again. So for all intents and purposes, this visit is new. Especially because you two are here. Whatever we do here, it'll all be new."  Jack reached over and lightly drew a line down Daniel's jaw. "We can do whatever we want and it'll feel new. In fact, it already has."

Daniel blew out a breath and grabbed Jack's hand. "Are you looking to start something right here, right now?"

Jack grinned and shook his head. "Not right this second, no."

"Then stop that."

"It's time to get some sleep anyway," Jason told them as he got up off the couch. "Three beers, a long assed plane flight, fucking and getting fucked... I'm tired for some reason."

Daniel and Jack laughed sympathetically. The men cleaned up the living room and kitchen, and on the way to the bedroom, Jack suddenly put both arms around Jason's waist. "Um, Jason, Stef could probably help."

"With?" Jason asked, but blinked in astonishment when he realized what Jack meant.

"You, too, Daniel."

Daniel halted mid-step before crossing into the bedroom and turned back to stare. "Are you telling Jason and me that it's okay with you if we...play with Stef. Or rather, have him play with us?"

Jack nodded slowly. "That's what I'm saying."

His lovers didn't know what to say to that. Then Jack upped the ante and added, "But you won't need him for the doll."

Daniel smirked. "Warming up to the idea?"

Jason looked at Jack and before Jack could warn him off, he let Daniel in on something Jack had failed to tell him. "Even if he isn't, he's got something for you."

"Jason," Jack said with annoyance.

"Tell him," Jason sent back.

"What?" Daniel asked, his own irritation rising.

"Stef sent me instructions via email on how to use that doll."

Daniel snorted and walked into the bedroom. "I figured as much, actually. One of the things I know about you, Jack, is that despite your annoying habit to belittle others, you never make friends with people you don't respect. Which means that they know their job or whatever. You wouldn't stay friends with Stef if he weren't a thorough kind of guy, like you. Once you know something, you _know_ it, you don't pretend you know. As a Dom, he had to know his stuff. The only reason that doll's there is because he probably created it. Which means he wouldn't give you a key to that room without giving you instructions on the new equipment, such as that doll. If he didn't want you actually experimenting with his toys, he wouldn't have given you a key. By the way, did he say anything about the usage of his property? The bungalows themselves, I mean."

"We act as if the place is ours; which reminds me, the sheets are in that closet outside," Jack replied, following his lovers in the bedroom. The sight of the bed brought a sudden lethargy, and any other conversation was pretty much going to wait, but Jack had one more question as they crawled into bed.

"Was the role play okay?"

Daniel smiled. "I think you know the answer."

Jason grinned. "Yeah, we know, don't we, Jack?"

"Best blow job I ever gave," Jack mumbled as he closed his eyes.

"I dare you to best it before we go home," Daniel replied as he snuggled against Jack and pulled Jason's arm around him.

Jack let the images in his mind form a few ideas as he drifted off to sleep.

**~**

Daniel retrieved his baggage from the second bungalow and stowed it in the bedroom of the first house. Putting on a new pair of shorts, the khakis, he looked over the tank top t-shirts, deciding which color to wear.

"Wear black," Jason told him, having chosen red with his white shorts.

"Why?"

"Because," Jason drawled, "you look good in black."

"He looks good in his black suit," Jack interrupted, having already dressed in white and blue, going barefoot like his lovers. "But Daniel looks good in white and baby blue tanks."

Jason pretended shocked surprise with a hand on his cheek. "Then you'd match!" he said in a higher pitched voice. He followed that by putting his hands on his hips and hamming it up as a gay fashion expert. He pulled out a white tank and a light blue tank and held each against Daniel's freshly dried bare chest. "Mmmmm. So luscious. You can wear anything. Of course, you'd look simply divine in the buff, don't you think so, Jack? But what would the neighbors say?"

Jack's laughing only made Daniel's worse and he doubled over, holding onto his knees. Jason reached out and jerked him upright, inhaling sharply like he'd been frightened. "Don't do that so soon after a shower! My goodness, don't you know it makes wrinkles in unflattering places? Gosh, we can't have that. Now come here and let me do something with that hair."

Daniel clamped a hand over Jason's mouth. "That's it, Jace. You're cut off. No more _Queer Eye_ for you."

Jason gave him a dirty look and handed him the black tank top. "Wear this and shut the fuck up."

Daniel snickered, "Better," and put on the black shirt.

On the way to the kitchen, Jack looked his lovers over with a look that managed to be both bland and very filthy. Daniel wondered how the man managed to do that. "I really don't know why we bother wearing clothes," Jack finally said. "They'll only come off eventually."

"Yet that would take all the fun out of removing them," Daniel answered, beating Jason to it.

"There's that," Jack said, musing over the idea as they got to the kitchen but his stomach redirected his attention. "Breakfast first. _Removing of Clothes_ options to be discussed later."

"Those two can sometimes coincide," Daniel remarked blandly. Jack pointedly refused to reply with anything other than throat clearing, but Jason cuffed him in the back.

"Smart ass. Don't give him any ideas. I want my food in me, not on me."

Daniel looked over his shoulder with a very filthy grin and received another cuff.

Breakfast itself became a three-person affair, sharing the tasks with a flow that would have most kitchen chefs envious. But the task of brewing the coffee went to Daniel when he spied an _espresso_ machine next to the regular coffee maker.

With a happy sigh, he set to it, remarking, "I should let you know now, Jack. I'm in love with a man I've never met."

Jack, arranging the bacon in the pan fastidiously, set down the cooking fork to give an arch look across the large kitchen.  "Am I being replaced?" he asked with a mock-scowl.

"Not likely, but you never know so don't piss me off," Daniel answered without a single nuance in his tone. He wasn't looking at Jack either.

Jason sniggered as he whisked the eggs, giving Jack a smirk, and Jack responded with a smack on the arm. "You're supposed to be on my side in the ganging up thing."

"I am?" Jason asked, and paused to consider before adding, "Then it would probably help if you sucked up a little." That got him a snicker from across the kitchen. Jack's eyes narrowed as Jason licked his thumb and pulled it slowly from his mouth. "What? It was a perfectly reasonable suggestion."

Jack wondered how long it had been since he and Jason had had a serious teasing competition, and concluded it had been too long if he had to think about it. He slowly smiled, his eyes lighting up mischievously, and it only got worse when Jason stared back at him, trying to figure out what he was up to. Jack loved that look, he had to admit. It was the ubiquitous _Are we having fun yet?_ look.

"Yes, a perfectly reasonable suggestion," Jack answered, and walked over, standing right behind him, pressing in, making sure that Jason could feel him through the shorts. He slowly reached around and grabbed a knife from the holder, then artistically flashed it before sliding the flat end up Jason's forearm, waiting for the inhale of surprised arousal. He then stepped away to chop up green peppers for the omelet.

Jason found himself standing there, not moving, holding the whisk in a death grip. When Jack had pressed against him and the knife had touched his arm, the only thing that Jason could concentrate on was the _hopeful_ thought of Jack pushing him down, over the counter, and fucking him, just like that. The image and accompanying hard-on wouldn't let him go and Jason forced himself to let out a slow breath and relax. Most of him, anyway.

Daniel smiled around the rim of his coffee mug as he leaned against the opposite counter. Watching Jack mercilessly tease Jason was so much fun, and more so when he himself wasn't the recipient. "You are so in for it, Jason."

Jason watched Jack from the edge of his vision as he set aside the eggs and grabbed another knife to cut up the mushrooms. Yes, he was in for it. It was only a question of when. He didn't mind that. He didn't mind that at all. "I know," he said with a smile.

Regular conversation, if anything about the three men could be considered that, started up a few minutes later and in no time, they were sitting down to eat. Throughout the meal, there was light teasing about who knew how to cook eggs properly, which morphed into making eggs Benedict, and whether it should be served with actual eggs, or oysters. Without conscious effort, they stayed away from subjects about work or anything offworld and kept to things mundane. The atmosphere was relaxed and easy, and just what they needed. As they finished, talk inevitably turned to what they'd be doing for the next _month_. An entire month filled with nothing more constructive than cleaning the houses and doing laundry--and that was only because they had to wash their clothes as well as the sheets on the bed.

"So what do you want to do today?" Daniel asked.

"Sex," Jack answered. "Though I'm surprised I have any energy left after all the sex we had yesterday."

"I'm not," Daniel said. "We'd built it all up over the last three weeks. Tired or not, we got _some_ of it out of our systems. I mean, it drove me nuts seeing you two every damn day and not be able to touch you, to tell you I loved you. I'm sorry if you don't want to be serious right now but--"

"No one said that," Jack interjected.

"Not me," Jason agreed.

"Yeah, well, I'll just get it out and over with. It drove me nuts not being able to tell you I loved you, just in case something bad happened, as it almost always does. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and when we came home, I was still waiting for it until we landed in Hawaii. _Now_ we get to relax, sleep whenever we want, eat whenever we want, get to make love, fuck. But isn't there something _else_ to occupy our minds with while we're here?"

Jack and Jason looked at each other, then collectively--and predictably--said, "No."

"Listen, Daniel," Jack said, "I thought you agreed that _this_ vacation was going to be one of a kind? A chance to live out some fantasies."

"I didn't think you were really serious," Daniel said honestly. "I mean, you guys might get bored. Me, I can sit around reading for half the day without noticing the time, but you two? I thought you might get bored."

"Of fantasy?" Jason asked, alarmed. "Tired maybe, but bored? No way."

Jack grinned. "What he said, Daniel. Besides, simple, everyday boredom can't happen, not with us. I may not have a boat to go fishing, and there may not be a place for Jace to run, but I don't really need to fish. If I wanted something to occupy my mind, I'd find it around here. Stef's got a decent selection of books and the computer room off the bedroom has some nice toys to play with and even more books on the hard drive."

"Did he tell you that or did you know that from before?" Daniel asked.

"He told me in the emails we've been exchanging. I've been planning this for a while, Daniel. I just never knew when we could actually pull it off. It would've been better in warmer weather, but hey, we grab what's available and run with it."

"So you really don't mind that there's actually _nothing_ to do here? No chopping wood, fishing, yard work...?"

"Time to show you two the bat cave."

Daniel eyed him suspiciously. "I hope you don't mean a real bat cave."

Jack grinned ear to ear, got up, grabbed the keys off the counter, and signalled them to follow as he went out through the back doors and turned to his right. He stopped at another door that faced his direction instead of outward at the back yard, and unlocked it. The door opened inward, revealing a flight of descending stairs. They lead to a large, windowless, underground gym. Fresh air indicated that it was at least ventilated well.

"Before you ask, it's air-conditioned," Jack cracked, then pointed to a treadmill that sat to the far left. "If you want to run, Jace, there's your route."

The room's other equipment consisted of just about everything, including an assortment of weight machines and free weights, a ping pong table, several stretching mats, and in the far right corner was a doorless, partitioned square room, revealing a jacuzzi bath inside.

"Daniel, there's lots to do. Upstairs you have reading material. If you want to get your hands dirty, there's a tool shed in the boathouse so you can garden. If you want to swim, there's a pool. There's a shitload of stuff to do here that only requires you to think about it instead of having the obvious out in front of you. We don't have the suburbs, no. We have this, and this, in my opinion, is better...if isolated."

Daniel gave him a slow smile. "You're one hell of a secretive bastard, which is why I love you."

"That's what I was thinking," Jason agreed and slapped Jack on the ass.

"You're cruising," Jack warned.

Jason pursed his lips. "Payback for teasing me. I'm going to get my shoes and have a good run."

"Me, I'm gonna lie around naked. I still don't see why we need our clothes, removal options aside."

"Unless you plan to work out in the nude," Jason offered with a cringe.

"Good point," Jack answered.

They left to return upstairs and Daniel made a beeline for the bedroom. "I'm having a look in the computer room but I need my pilot. Maybe I'll find digital books to transfer, if they're in compatible format."

"There should be," Jack told him with an enigmatic smile.

Daniel looked at him sharply, trying to figure out what he meant. "I hate it when you do that."

"I know."

With a sigh, he asked, "This place is connected to the 'net?"

"Yeah, why?"

"So I can check my email."

"Expecting a message from anyone?" Jason asked as he put on his sneakers.

"No. I have to clear the spam from my account before it loads up. Haven't done it in a few days."

"So what's on the menu for today, other than the usual?" Jason asked.

"It's just a suggestion, but how about actually unpacking?" Jack said, watching Jason and Daniel make a face. None of them were used to _visiting_ one place for very long. It was hard to remember to unpack.

Daniel ran his fingers through his hair. "Shit, I forgot."

"Me, too," Jason admitted. "I'll get that done later, though. If anyone needs me, I'll be downstairs." Jason gave Jack a quick kiss on the side of his head. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Don't wear yourself out, Jace. Save some for the rest of us."

"Always," Jason said, then slapped him on the ass again and left.

"Is he sending me a message?" he asked, rubbing his ass.

"I don't know, Jack. Ya think?"  Daniel easily ducked the cuff upside the head.  "So what're _you_ wanting to do today?"

"I have no idea, and I like that," Jack answered as he unzipped the larger bag of his luggage. "But after I'm done unpacking, I think I'll go pretend to work out just so I can watch Jason sweat."

"He'll watch you right back."

"He might not. You know how focused he gets, which is what I'm counting on. It'll allow me to focus all my energy on _him_."

"You're evil, you are."

"It's a gift."

**.**

A few hours later, Daniel found himself glued to the screen in the computer room. A lot of the hard drive's folders were password encrypted but the literary folder and its sub-folders weren't. For which Daniel found himself quite thankful. While he'd found a few books worth reading, what he'd found more intriguing was filed under erotica. Nice, safe title, and Daniel had half-dreaded finding mushy, romance novel crap. Instead... he'd found _porn_.

Some of it was fan fiction, even Gotham fan fiction, but most of it were stories either written by Stef himself or stuff he'd found and saved. The stories by Stef were interesting, though most weren't his thing. The others, on the other hand, were. A mixture of all types of categories and all of it gay sex and hot as hell.

As a result, Daniel had succumbed to one of his rare indulgences:  jerking off to sex stories. He needed to show the guys, perhaps read them aloud to them. One grand idea was to read them as bedtime stories and watch them react. He might even get Jack and Jason to _enact_ a few for him. God, that idea hadn't gone away, either.

And now...right now... his left hand controlled the mouse and his right hand was inside his shorts, firmly locked around his cock, with his thumb the only moving part. Slowly teasing himself with that warm glow of pleasure that sooner or later would drive him to stop ignoring the lust and bring it to its normal conclusion.

Except he had to show his lovers. Had to. He didn't want to get off without them. It would be so much hotter. But first, he had to download them to his laptop, which was in the bedroom. But he was still reading. He kept telling himself, "Okay, I'll go after this paragraph...okay, after this page...make that before the next story..."

**.**

Jack had put aside his own workout as he'd told Daniel he would. The sight-seeing was definitely preferable: To watch the sweat glisten and bead on Jason's skin as he lay on the bench press and pushed the handles up again and again and again. The muscles of his body were taut, stored with energy. Jack could see the outline of one very specific muscle, yet that one lay hidden, unused. His mouth and hands twitched with body memory. That muscle should straining like the others; wet, to match his skin.

Jack knew he was making himself insane, but he couldn't help it. It was just like those times in the SGC gym, watching Jason work out, and just like all those other times, what Jack wanted to do more than anything was go over there, pull down Jason's shorts while he worked out and take that...

Jack abruptly cut himself off with a surprised realization. What the hell was he doing? Why was he standing there _fantasizing_ about this, for cryin' out loud? There was no one around to report him, stop him, or otherwise object.  Shit.

Wiping his hands over his shirt, Jack moved quickly and efficiently. He pushed Jason's open legs further apart to give him room--registering somewhere that he loved the way Jason gasped in shock--and straddled the end of the bench. Curling his fingers over the front waistband of Jason's shorts, he grabbed tightly and pulled down, releasing the semi-flaccid cock from its confines.

"Jack, dammit--" Jason started, with the clang of the weights coming down.

"Keep working," Jack said quietly, and with his mouth practically watering, took the hot, silky muscle inside, down to the root, sucked in his cheeks and slowly pulled back to the head. There was a startled exclamation followed by a moan but Jack wasn't paying attention. Jason tasted good, all salt and musk and soap, and Jack moaned with need over the muscle as he took it back in to repeat the same procedure again. And again. Jason's cock responded nicely.

.

Jason's eyes went round as dinner plates, his elbows locked as he held the weights over his head.

_Mother Fucking Sonofabitch!_

He tried to breath as he usually did when bench pressing, but he couldn't. Pushing the weights up--as Jack told him to keep doing--was difficult to do with a mouth around his goddamn cock. Jason kept holding his breath, closing his eyes; kept locking his elbows, holding the handles over his head as some sort of leverage whenever Jack sucked. His cock thrummed with blood, balls now small and tense and tight. Jack's hands never left his waistband; only his mouth was on him, and god, he was doing him slow, taking his time, and Jason was going to kill him if he didn't bring him off soon.

**.**

Jack loved doing this--to Jason, to Daniel. Loved making them crazy with need, feeling them writhe and twitch and jerk and thrust, begging to be brought off. It never took long to make them beg.

Unfortunately for Jason...and very likely Jack's own health...Jack didn't intend to bring him off. He only wanted to play, and to keep playing. If he brought him off, then Jason's pleasure would end and Jack didn't want it to end. Of course, he knew how Jason felt, and while he didn't _want_ to piss him off, sometimes the payback was well worth it. He was in the mood for Jason to go 'alpha' on him. Jack kept his actions slow, loving how he wound Jason up to the boiling point, but when he detected that tiny little tremor on the underside of Jason's cock, he pulled away, grinning evilly when Jason's eyes flew open and locked on his with astonished shock.

"Jack!" came the expected response.

Jack let go of Jason's waistband, covering the swollen cock _most_ of the way. "What?"

Jason was frustrated to say the least. "What do you mean ' _what_ '? Have you lost--"

Jack pushed off the bench before Jason could finish and took a few steps to the side, watching Jason's eyes narrow dangerously with the light behind them darkening for revenge.

 _"He's going to come after me,"_ came Jack's next thought. _"He'll...Hey, where's he going?"_

**.**

Jason walked around him and started up the stairs.

"Where the hell are you going?" Jack asked, confused and feeling his own aggravation rising rather quickly.

Jason stopped and looked over his shoulder. "While I like your little teasing games most of the time, I'm not in the mood for them right now." His expression altered from angry to threatening. "If you're not going to finish what you started, I know someone who will."

"Wait, wait, wait. Just get your ass back down here," Jack ordered, reaching the bottom step and pointing next to him.

Jason knew what Jack was doing, of course, and he didn't blame him. But dammit, the man had to play fair; that little scene had had Jason damn near getting off and pulling away at that moment had been cruel and unusual punishment. "Are you going to finish what you started?" he asked.

Jack hesitated before saying, "Yes," which was Jackspeak for "Eventually."

Jason turned and proceeded up the stairs.

Growling, Jack went after him...climbing just as gingerly because getting Jason hard always made _him_ hard -- actions that went together like meat and potatoes, bread and butter, Butch and Sundance. He grabbed Jason's arm at the top of the stairs and pushed him against the door, mouth on his a second later for a deep, probing kiss. Jason didn't respond with any other body part but his lips, which said that Jack wasn't forgiven. And why should he be?

"Where should I finish you?" Jack asked, giving in because he always did. His dick always overrode his brain with distractingly hot images. "Right here?"

"Bedroom."

"Too far to walk in the state we're in."

"Then stay here and recoup your...loss.  I'll be in the bedroom.  On the bed.  Shorts around my ankles.  Fist around my--"

"Shut up and lead the way."

**.**

Daniel walked into the bedroom with a small amount of difficulty. Good thing his shorts weren't the tight ones. He made a beeline to grab his laptop but stopped when his eyes rested on the bedside table.

He was reminded of Jason's quick dismissal of the contents the night before and curiosity redirected him. Looking over his shoulder at the door, he grinned to himself and walked over. He opened the top drawer, just in case Jason hadn't pulled out everything. Daniel expected to find the usual, along with the lube and assorted _aids_ , and he did. There wasn't anything else out of the ordinary.

Opening the second drawer, he found three pairs of black leather gloves. Next to them, jars of leather soap and conditioner. Behind them, a rough leather collar with silver studs and two rings on opposite sides. Presumably for attachment to chains or a leash? Closing the drawer, he opened the third and gaped, wondering if this was what had made Jason close the drawer in a hurry.

Sitting solitary in the drawer was a compartmented silver tray with a translucent lid. The divided sections of the tray were filled with make-up items:  Lipstick and lip liner; mascara, eye liner, eyebrow brush and pencil; eye shadows of different colors, blush, and applicator brushes; and then face foundation, sponges, and a powder container. No wonder Jason had shut this drawer. It would have...well, redirected their attention and in so doing, put an undesired interruption in the mood. Daniel couldn't help but smirk as he shook his head and closed the drawer. Who wore the make-up? he wondered.

Reopening the second drawer, he pulled out one pair of the gloves. They were extremely soft, and probably kidskin. He pulled on the left, then the right, flexing and smoothing them over his knuckles. He couldn't help the idea that came to him, nor the image that followed. The gloves would feel sensual on the skin, and divine on a cock.

He was tempted. The desire to feel the leather on him had him standing there staring at his hands for a minute or two, trying to make up his mind if he should wait till later.

"Find something?" Jack whispered.

Daniel nearly jumped two feet and half-turned, lost his balance and his lovers' arms shot out and stopped him from falling back.

Jack and Jason couldn't help but laugh, even when Daniel glowered at them for startling him. Not too dismayed by finding their attentions diverted, they took Daniel's gloved hands in one of their own.

"Nice," Jack said, petting the glove. "What were you thinking about?"

"Tying you two down and jerking you off till you beg me to make you come," Daniel barked as he pushed away from them and walked across the room.

"Interesting coincidence," Jason mumbled, glancing at Jack before looking into the drawer. He pulled out another pair of gloves and looked them over before pulling them on. If Daniel had been thinking what he was thinking now, that would explain the jumpiness.

Jack growled a tease in his ear, watching Jason put on the gloves. "Whatcha doin'?" he asked in his ear.

"What's it look like?" Jason answered.

"Want me to put that last pair on?" he asked.

"What do you think?"

"Awfully snarky," Jack teased against Jason's ear before leaning around him and taking the last pair in the drawer. The gloves went on in a perfect fit and Jack ran his right hand back and forth over Jason's. "Want me to use this?" he asked, pressing in close to once more whisper in his ear.

"Fuck yes," Jason answered gruffly as he turned around, pulled Jack in, and kissed him hard.

Across the room, Daniel was embarrassed and made himself busy to cover it in case they noticed. Although a glance at them said they weren't going to. As he opened the chiffonier's double-doored top half, he wondered what the hell his lover had been up to but the contents of the wardrobe grabbed his attention instead.

The top part of the dresser was divided equally in two, with a wardrobe on the right, small drawers on the left. The wardrobe section was filled with leather clothes hung from hangers on a clothing rod. He glanced to his right and had to shut the right door slightly. They were still kissing... wearing the other two pairs of gloves. Interesting, but not surprising.

He'd meant his earlier threat as a threat, but they apparently liked the idea. As Daniel watched, he realized that they'd been up to something. Both were hard. Had Jack teased Jason down in the gym and come upstairs to finish the job?

Embarrassment gone, Daniel felt a little guilty for snapping at them and needed to make it up to them, but first, he had to break them up. "What, no smart-ass remarks to my threat, gentlemen?" Spotting the riding crop hanging from the neck of a clothes hanger, he took it down and walked around the open doors of the dresser, slapping its leather thong in his left palm.

His lovers broke apart and stared at the sight of Daniel with a crop. "Very nice, Daniel," Jack quipped. "Where's your horse?"

"I'm looking at him," Daniel said with a squint and waggled the crop. "Watch it or I'll spank your little flank."

"I dare you," Jack sent back and Jason whispered that Daniel would call him on it.

"What would you do if I actually did it?" Daniel smirked and disappeared behind the wardrobe door.

Jack pursed his lips as Jason favored him with a smug look. "Told you."

"Shut up."

"Besides," Daniel went on, raising his voice a hair. "I don't think light slaps with this crop would do you any good. I need a big, wide leather strap."

"Very funny."

Daniel smiled to himself as he browsed through the clothing, noting certain items before moving on to the three large horizontal drawers below that made up the bottom section of the chiffonier. Without hesitation, he opened the first one.

"Wow."

He found several large, blood-red velvet drawstring pouches, labelled with red strips of silk and white thread. _Wrist-to-ankle_ one said. _Wrist-to-thigh_ another said. The others were single cuffs with lining differences. _Velvet lining_ was listed on one, then _Fleece_ , _Silk_ , and _Suede_. Next to them, without pouches, lay three sets of 'police' handcuffs, one of them painted black.

Next to them were three leather gags with velcro fastenings. Two of them didn't have the ball gag Daniel was used to seeing in pictures. Instead, one of the gags was shaped like a very short cock, and the other had no mouth insert at all; just an extra leather patch behind the mouth section. Looking back at the one with the cock gag, Daniel was absurdly reminded of a child's pacifier and he couldn't help the short, naughty laugh.

From the corner of his eye, he saw his lovers approach. This should prove interesting. He took the plain gag from the drawer and rolled it up, hiding it in his fist. He had a use for it later.

Jason walked up on his left, Jack on his right, and Daniel looked over their flushed cheeks and bruised lips.

"What's got you two so wound up?"

"Jack," Jason said.

"Jason," Jack answered.

Daniel only nodded... with a twitch at his mouth.

"What's got you laughing?" Jason then asked.

Daniel picked up the gag and showed it to them. Jason snorted.

With a grin, Jack took it from him. "And this made you laugh?"

"I was thinking of a different type of... pacifier."

His lovers tried not to laugh but there were soft noises coming from their throats, which Daniel interrupted when he brushed the back of his leather-covered fingers over Jason's mouth. "How's this feel?" he asked seductively. Jason stared at his mouth, and Daniel was sure he was going to say something, but he just put his arm around his waist and landed a hard, passionate kiss instead, stealing his breath away. When Jason let him go, he licked his lips. "Just what I needed, but I'd like more in a little while."

"I'll give you more now, if you like."

Forcing his eyes back to the drawer's contents, Daniel pointed. "First, I'd like you to choose one of these. Have a look, Jace. Bondage galore."

There was a change in mood as Jason looked down, reached in, but then pulled his hand back. "Quite an assortment, I'd say," he remarked softly.

Jack saw the look on Jason's face and he wasn't worried... exactly, but something was amiss. "Jason, seen these before somewhere?"

Glancing at Jack, Daniel reached up and touched Jason's jaw, redirecting his attention toward him. "What's wrong?"

Jason shook his head and moved to one side, looking into the drawer. "Nothing exactly. Just... give me a sec." He reached in, and this time, pulled open the pouch that read _wrist-to-ankle_. He dumped the contents out, into the drawer itself, and after taking a good long look, sighed with relief. Glancing up at both his lovers, he took a longer look when he saw the intensity of their gaze. "Sorry, it was just a sudden and rather spooky reminder of the past." He picked up the restraints and examined them, not realizing that his hands were shaking until Daniel's hand wrapped around his wrist.

"Jason?"

Jason felt the rapid flush over his skin and his heart beat faster over what the contents of the pouch implied. The fear that had gripped him momentarily was gone. What replaced it was confusion mixed with an odd sort of excitement. He wasn't comfortable with _some_ of the images that came to mind and he pushed them away as suddenly as they'd appeared.

"What's going on?" Jack asked as he took the double restraints from Jason's hands and placed them back in the drawer.

With an effort, Jason said, "Fear of change, I think."

That pulled a bit of surprise from his lovers.

"About?" Daniel asked, leaning against the dresser to face him.

"Domination," Jason admitted. "I have a deep fear of it. You know that mission I mentioned? Well, I nearly came away from it with an unhealthy attraction for pain and the wrong end of domination. I thought I'd gotten rid of the fear. Seeing these restraints brought it back, but at least... the fear isn't as bad. But it's still there unfortunately. And I'm also kind of confused. No, sorry, I am _a lot_ confused."

It shouldn't still bother him, Jason thought. The restraints in front of him were different, but they still represented an old fear forced on him by something else that had nearly perverted his love of bondage.

Daniel and Jack were suddenly worried and misconstrued what he was saying. "Jason?" Daniel started, "Is your love of bondage related to--"

"No, no, Daniel. I'm not... I don't... I liked it long before that mission."

"So, okay then. You wanna talk about it now, or later?" Jack asked carefully.

"Later," Jason said quickly. "Much later." The fear, he realized, also rid him of his erection. He squeezed his eyes shut in anger and regret. He had to get control of himself and he laughed out loud in embarrassment. "I feel so stupid, reacting like this."

"Jason, don't do that," Jack told him.

Jason sighed and laughed again. "I'll be fine, Jack." He may not want to talk about the mission, but he had to examine his feelings, his desires, right damn now, or he'd never be able to without fear intruding where it didn't belong. So what was it that bothered him? "Okay, um, right now, I need to reassure myself that bondage doesn't mean submission, not like the Domination-Submission scene practices anyway. Just the thought scares me, makes me rebel. I mean, I know the difference between forced submission and voluntary submission, so it's not that. It's my reaction to submission itself. It's confusing me, looking at those restraints, because I want to experiment. I see those," and he pointed nervously, "and I'm excited by them, but only regarding sex. Only that. Nothing else. I like, no, _love_ it when you..."

Jason swallowed, hard. He'd never really told them and supposed now was the time, but he had to close his eyes to do it, to concentrate on the words. "When you take control of me, when I'm held down past the point of pain, then fucked so stupid I forget my own name. It's when you force me to experience the ultimate boundaries of my own sexual pleasure. Only then do I want or need you to dominate me. What I'm afraid of is that I may change someday and want it outside the bedroom."

"Nothing abnormal so far, Jace," Jack told him. "It's okay to feel that stuff, and feel stupid for being confused. That's also part of this vacation, you know. Testing limits. If this is scary, then you go step by step, either mentally or physically, until the fear is gone. It's taken me years to be able to reach the point where you can tie me up. That Daniel found a hidden kink in me is fucking _amazing_. So, I understand, Jace. More than you think. So does Daniel."

Jason opened his eyes finally, nodding. "I thought I had this stuff handled but..."

"It's okay," Jack told him as he put an arm around his shoulders and gave him a firm kiss on the temple. "Did that room give you the same feelings?"

Jason let out a frustrated laugh. "No, and that's part of the confusion. I can't figure out what that room elicited other than it made me uncomfortable."

"Do you want to move on, look at what else is in here?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah," Jason confirmed. "Let's um, move on."

Daniel bent down and opened the second drawer. It was filled with masks... and hoods. Daniel gave Jason a look of apprehension but Jason rolled his eyes and indicated he wasn't bothered.

"Like I said, I'm prepared now. It won't happen again."

"Okay," Daniel drew out.

The masks' size covered only the eyes and nose, and most were made of black velvet or leather, but some were of silver or gold metal. All had silk ribbons for ties so these were not the cheap models. There were four hoods, each made of black leather and meant specifically to cover the entire head, with holes only for the mouth and nose.

Daniel didn't like them and from the expressions on Jason's and Jack's faces, neither did they. The hoods would make him feel too much like an object, not to mention claustrophobic. That was something that Daniel simply would not tolerate. Besides, most of the time, he had to see the face of his lover, and when he didn't, he was either blindfolded or face down. Either way, his face was _free_.

The masks, on the other hand...

"You know, you look good wearing these," Jack told him and picked up a velvet mask. He handed it to Daniel, who then grinned and handed it to Jason.

"So does Jace."

Jason took it almost shyly, looking it over while Daniel opened the third drawer.

The drawer held only two items. Harnesses.

Jack cleared his throat. "I remember Stef explaining these once. They're made specifically for their owner, so we'll just leave those alone."

Daniel nodded and closed the drawer, then reopened the first one, took out a pouch containing single cuffs and walked over to the bed. Before his lovers could see what he was doing, he quickly shoved the gag under the pillow. "Jason?" he asked, opening the pouch.

"What?" he answered as he and Jack joined Daniel next to the bed.

"Do want to put off bondage while we're--"

"No, Daniel, and don't walk on eggshells. I'm _fine_."

"You don't sound so sure though," Jack said as he sat down at the foot of the bed, bringing one knee up while keeping the other leg straight, foot on the floor. Leaning against the post, he regarded Jason carefully while Daniel sat opposite him, his back against the headboard.

"So, what about these?" Daniel asked, opening the pouch and depositing four two-inch cuffs of studded black leather, velvet-lined, into his lap. He picked them up and examined them, realizing that they were soft and flexible, worn but well taken care of.

"These are fine," Jason said, taking one of them. "I just got a little spooked by the other stuff. Tie me down if you don't believe me."

Surprising the hell out of him, Daniel took him at his word, hoping to distract him away from the confusion and apprehension. He moved on top of him, straddling his hips, and looked down, showing Jason his intense, wide eyes.

Jason abruptly groaned. "Shit, you're feeling my anger, aren't you, Daniel?"

Daniel blinked. On the Beta Site, he'd quickly learned to put up walls about his empathic gift and had gotten used to them being there. But here, the walls were gone. "I was, _was_ being the operative word. So it had me thinking. Maybe I could..."  Daniel paused, because his idea suddenly sounded invasive, if not a downright violation of privacy.

"What?"

"No, never mind."

"Daniel," Jason warned. "Don't _do_ that. Tell me."

"I was just thinking that if I concentrate my empathic ability outward, maybe I could replace your negative feelings, but it smacks of privacy violation."

Jack and Jason's mouths fell open and a second later, they began to laugh.

"What?" Daniel asked, feeling a little perturbed. He didn't like being made fun of.

"Sorry," Jason replied, wiping his mouth in some strange effort to stop the laughter. "It's just that...Daniel, privacy violation? I've been enjoying your _privacy violations_ for two years now. I've also had you in my head, talking to me. Trust me, Daniel. If I'd had _any_ objections before now, you'd have known."

Jack sniggered and bit his lips shut. He was _not_ going to say a word. _Not_.

Daniel looked between him and Jason and his mouth twisted in an effort not to smile at the ironic humor of it all. If anyone was to make fun of him, it would be himself, and at the moment, he was making fun of himself all over the place.

"Um...right."

There was a bit more laughter, then Jason gently grabbed the back of his neck and pulled Daniel in. "Besides, there's no need." He smiled and touched Daniel's cheek. "I think you've already succeeded." When Daniel took his hand in his, the good mood deepened, and altered slightly.

Jason took hold of one of Daniel's fingers and playfully inserted half of it in his mouth as he bit down on the second knuckle. Then with a suck, he removed the finger, leaving the leather dark and wet. "Nice."

Daniel snorted and pushed at him. "So, you're feeling better?"

Jason took a deep breath and nodded, and when he glanced at Jack, he found him suddenly thoughtful. "What?"

"I get it, you know," Jack told him.

"Get what?" Jason asked.

"The bondage dilemma."

"Except you're not into bondage, Jack."

"I don't think I could be strung up like a side of beef, no, but there's other stuff I don't mind..." and he grinned cheekily. "Which is your fault, you know."

He watched the muscles relax in Jason's body and was immensely relieved. Jason had to be calmed down or the idiot he loved like crazy would dwell. "Whatever fantasies you have, Jason, about any form of bondage, let's try them. If they're scary, we stop and you'll know."

Jason nodded quickly. "Okay, but not tonight and not tomorrow. I'll let you know when."

Daniel allowed his empathic ability to reach out and feel what Jason felt; to enable him to understand, and more importantly, to _help_. The fear wasn't there, as Jason had said, but there _was_ some confusion and mixed feelings in his lover.

"I think what you need is to have your attention redirected," Daniel said as he slipped his hands under Jason's arms. "What do you think?"

"I think you're right," Jason said, getting that wonderful butterfly feeling deep in his belly just before Daniel attacked his mouth, arousing him not just with his tongue, but with his body, moving in a gentle wave against him. Jason responded, kissing him back for all he was worth.

Daniel slowly pulled back, feeling every separation as he lifted his mouth from Jason's; he breathed against his lips, then let him go and pushed up until he was kneeling back once more. He glanced over at Jack, finding the man reclined on his side, head propped in his hand, aroused look in his eyes. Daniel was suddenly reminded of how the two looked when they came in and startled him.

"So..." he started, narrowing his eyes with mock-suspicion. "What were you two up to when you came in here?"

Jason snorted. "Jack was being a tease, and needed to finish what he started."

Jack grinned devilishly. "I like watching you squirm," he taunted, and drew a finger down Jason's bicep. The touch sent an obvious shiver through Jason's body and Jason growled at him.

Daniel let a grin of amusement show and he drew a leather-clad finger down Jason's chest. "Me, too."

"Is that so?" Jason replied, trying to sound bland but he never could master that. He always ended up sounding threatening instead. Or so his lovers' expressions would insinuate. May as well take advantage of that fact, he thought, and with a yelp of surprise from Daniel, he grabbed him and flipped them over. Disheveled and abruptly flushed, Daniel looked... "You want me to make _you_ squirm?" Jason asked, and dropped down, kissing him hard, while his gloved hand slid down Daniel's stomach and under his shorts.

"Ow!" Daniel complained, wincing.

Jason grimaced, though he didn't look all that sorry. "Sorry. Leather gloves and pubic hair don't mix well."

"Be careful, will you?" Daniel scolded, but it was half-hearted really, what with Jason's hand around his cock. That leather felt damn good and he moaned in appreciation.

"How's that feel?" Jason asked.

With a grin of impishness, Daniel reached between them and under Jason's shorts, returning the caress and gaining a loud groan from his affectionate lover. "About how that feels, I expect."

"Quite right," Jason breathed, and kissed him again.

Watching them, Jack couldn't help but reach out and slide his own gloved hand under Jason's shorts and over his ass. With his hand there, the shorts were pulled too tight against his and Daniel's wrists, but they didn't seem to mind. There was a solution, after all. He withdrew his hand, then suggested, "Time for clothes removal I think."

Jason let out a hitched breath. "You two certainly know how to make a man hard as hell."

Daniel gave him a soft, seductive smile before removing his own hand, then pushed Jason up, making him straddle him. He reached to his right and took one of the four restraints, holding it between them like an offering. "Can you wear these without any problems, or has that changed?" He hoped Jason would say yes, even knowing it was his own selfish desire to bind him.

"I can definitely wear them," Jason said automatically. And he could. That, at least, had not changed with the aggravating confusion. He took the cuff from Daniel's hand and placed it around his left wrist, buckling the strap. There was no fear; only the slowly churning desire in having them on and the excitement in _why_ they were on--anticipation of what would come. He held out his right hand.

Daniel retrieved the other one and gave it to him, watching with growing desire and fascination as Jason strapped it onto his right wrist.

Jason held his hands out slightly to his side, displaying himself. "So what's on your mind, Daniel?"

With the knowledge that everything was pretty much back to normal, and that Daniel could act on the idea he'd had, he grabbed Jason and copied his earlier move, flipping them over and putting Jason on his back. He grinned down at him with a mischievous look, then picked up the other two restraints. "For your ankles," he said, watching Jason's eyes darken considerably.

"Where?" Jack asked, taking one of the cuffs and moving to Jason's feet.

Jason inhaled sharply as he felt the leather wrap around his left ankle just above the bone. "Fuck," he whispered, and a spreading warmth ran through his body as Daniel reached back and handed Jack the other restraint...all the while keeping their eyes locked. With the other restraint on him, there was a tiny bit of fear, but this time, it was different. Not apprehension, but anticipation of the unknown.

"How do you feel?" Jack asked, returning to previous position.

Jason looked at him, then up at Daniel. "Aroused."

"Good," Daniel replied. "Here's where they'll go," and he pointed at the headboard. There were two six-inch rings just above the height of the pillows, one on the left side, one on the right. Jason grinned at him and nodded with understanding, knowing that wasn't all.

"Ankles?"

Daniel pointed skyward.

The tops of the gauze curtains had hidden them, but from his angle, Jason could see better. In the front of the wooden box frame overhead were two thick hooks bolted into the wood. Daniel moved off him, lying onto his side. "There are black chains hanging from hooks in the back of the chiffonier," he explained quietly. "I'm thinking they go up there." He then reached down and tugged the left cuff on Jason's ankle, finger inserting into a ring attached to the leather. He lifted, bringing Jason's leg up. "They seem to be accommodating for...suspension."

Jason felt a deep, unanswered desire rise inside him. This wasn't a common fantasy of his, but it had crossed his mind whenever Daniel had held up his legs by the ankles. Taking in the look in Daniel's eyes, Jason thought that maybe having his legs spread like a wide V, he would probably be fulfilling some fantasy of Daniel's, too.

After a moment, he said, "I want it."  There was a sudden groan from Jack, and Jason was delightfully surprised by Jack's quick move on top of him, hands pinning his wrists to the bed while his lover's tongue thoroughly explored his mouth.

Jason bucked upward, his groin meeting Jack's, and that only wound Jack up more, moving to his throat. Jason tipped his head back, trying to give Jack more, but when Jack bit over his collarbone and tried to move down, he was blocked by the t-shirt. Jack sat up, letting Jason's wrists go. "Let's get these clothes off before we get too far, shall we?"

They stripped down quickly, t-shirts and shorts, sans underwear, hitting the floor. Deliberately provocative, Jack pushed Jason onto his back, straddled his thighs, and took his own cock in hand. Biting his lip at the wonderful feel of leather around his sensitive skin, Jack pulled at his cock with long, leisurely strokes.

Jason took in a breath, eyes roaming all over the body of his lover while he reached down to stroke himself, matching Jack's rhythm easily. He couldn't keep his free hand to himself, and Jack couldn't either. While their right hands were busy, their left hands took advantage off all that skin presented before them.

Daniel watched them, wanting to join in, but he had plans. So satisfied that they were sufficiently distracted, he grabbed the mask off the bed and went back to the chiffonier. He felt wired, as if he'd had ten cups of coffee in half an hour; the anticipation made him almost giddy. Looking into the wardrobe, and finding what he wanted, he spotted a blindfold and took that too. There were snap rings in a small bucket and he grabbed four. There were more than two sets of chains, but he chose the three-foot lengths hoping they were adequate. Jason's legs had to be high enough to bring his ass a few inches off the bed. Daniel needed his lover's weight suspended.

Looking at the leather clothes, a smile came to his face. Going through them quietly, he took some pieces down and quickly went behind the privacy screen that stood to the right of the dresser. He set the buttonless vest on the chair behind him, then proceeded to pull the black trousers on. The laced crotch was easy to close, tying over an inner flap that fit over his crotch. They weren't snug or uncomfortable; in fact, they felt wonderful.

The vest came next, and it too had laces, but Jason had told him time and again that he loved the look of Daniel with his shirt open so that made the decision for him. Next, he picked up the mask he'd brought with him, fitted it over his eyes and tied its silk ribbon around his head. He started to take a step away from the screen but caught movement out of the corner of his eyes.

There was a floor length mirror behind the chair, hanging on the wall in the corner and he took a look at himself. He wanted to laugh. With the gloves on, all he needed were gauntlets and a sword, for cryin' out loud. Maybe a big black tattoo down one arm. He then pictured Jack or Jason wearing what he had on. He suddenly didn't feel so silly. And more appropriately, the thought of them reacting like he just had made him feel even less silly.

He looked at his hair and it was too flat, like it always went after a shower. The mask only made it look worse. He untied it and dropped it on the chair, and ran his hands through his hair, messing it up, making it look just a little spiky. Now he looked a bit tousled, the way his lovers liked. He smiled. And left the mask off.

Daniel couldn't help but feel nervous. This vacation was certainly bringing out all sorts of feelings in him, half of which he had yet to share with his lovers. He'd do that in time but for now, it would be better to keep them to himself. After all, the really good fantasies, long or short, were ones that were sprung on you at the last minute. Well, mostly. There was also something to be said for the anticipation of a planned seduction...and a really hot fuck.

Daniel had his plan for Jason, but didn't have one for Jack. He certainly couldn't tie him up like Jason; Jack wouldn't allow his legs up like that, anyway. He could do something else for Jack, but wasn't quite sure what, other than the usual. Perhaps having Jack sit in that chair by that desk that sat to the right of the French doors? He could tie him to it, make Jack watch?

Unless he took care of Jack first and made Jason watch. But then, Jason wouldn't see what was going on if his legs were suspended...

Another minute of contemplation, and Daniel decided that perhaps it was better to let Jack choose; he probably had his own ideas, knowing him, and those usually ended up as pretty damn good ones. Just the thought of Jack doing something he didn't know about made Daniel shiver, holding back a groan as his cock reacted appropriately against the confines of the leather.

A moan from the bed got Daniel's attention, reminding him that he was taking just a bit too long...not that Jack and Jason were getting restless or bored. Oh no, and they weren't going to wait on him, either, so he'd better hurry the hell up. He couldn't blame them really, but this was _his_ show today, or at least it was with Jason. Daniel couldn't figure out how that had happened, but he supposed it was Jason really who'd accidentally instigated it all. If it was an accident. Daniel considered that possibility and a smile spread across his face. Well then. Time to give Jason exactly what he wanted. With Daniel's touch to it, of course.

"If you mess with my plans, I'll just have to get off without you," he warned, picking up the items he'd taken from the wardrobe. He stuffed the blindfold in his pocket, then stepped out from behind the screen. He let his smile alter, becoming a bit more provocative and dangerous. They were still jerking off, but they were kissing, too, and it was Jack who was now on his back. Daniel cleared his throat. "There's always that doll. I'm sure it could get me off quite nicely."

They broke apart, laughing, but when they looked over at him, their laughter died with a gasp. They were like twins, the two of them, sitting up and gaping at him. They were speechless during the time it took Daniel to reach the bed, and Daniel made it 'worse' by spreading his arms out, palms up, showing Jason specifically what he held.

"What? You've seen me in leather before, haven't you?" he asked. He grinned at the chains in his hand. "Although perhaps not with this particular accessory."

"Jesus H. Christ," Jack whispered, and any damn ability to think had just flown south. "You are one sexy, fucking bastard."

Jason told himself not to move. Leather...with laces. And those chains... shit. Shit. Shit.   He wouldn't attack him, he ordered himself repeatedly. He would _not_ attack him. "God, you're...fucking gorgeous."

Daniel grinned at him, laid the chains down and leaned over, taking hold of Jason's left wrist. He attached a snap to the connecting ring. "Guess what time it is?"

"Are those clothes for me?" Jason asked coyly.

"You're answering a question with a question, Jason," Daniel admonished lightly, moving onto the bed and crawling over him without hesitation until he was looking straight down into his eyes. "You are a very, very, _very_ bad boy." He was breathing against his lover's lips now, eyes half-closed. "You need to be punished," he whispered seductively, inhaling him like an alpha male picking up a mating scent. "You know what happens now and you can't get away. It's much too late."

With a groan, Jason moved backward up the bed, going a bit slower than he could because Daniel crawled with him, over him, not moving away... as if he didn't trust Jason not to escape. When he reached the pillows, Daniel took his wrist and attached the cuff to the left ring in the headboard while Jason ran his free hand over Daniel's leather, caressing the hard muscles before he stopped at his groin, rubbing the definite outline.

Daniel gave Jason a dark look and covered his hand, but instead of doing anything to help him, he gently pried his hand away and pulled it to the right side of the headboard. He secured the cuff with another snap, watching Jason's hand flex with the desire to touch, and looked down at him. "Very bad boy," he repeated, and he leaned in against the headboard, rubbing his cock against Jason's hand. "You had your chance," he said, pulling away when Jason tried to caress him. He moved down Jason's right side, stopping next to his hips, and laid his hand over Jason's shaft, rubbing his palm over it. Jason bit his lip and groaned.

Daniel gave him the hint of a smile and said, "Nice," then rubbed harder.

Jason bucked into his touch and fought back another groan. Daniel's touch was exciting and erotic, the leather giving him shocks of pleasure over his skin, and there was no way he could resist it.

"You're aiming to drive me insane," Jason said between clenched teeth, overwhelmed with desire caused by the way his lover looked and acted.

"That's the plan," Daniel answered. Kneeling there next to Jason, Daniel felt his leather pants stretch to accommodate him but they were still a little snug. He couldn't wait to take them off, but only down over his ass. He had no intention of taking the pants off, quite sure that the kink in leaving them on would be part of what did it for both his lovers. And him.

Looking Jason over, Daniel placed a pillow behind his shoulders and one under the small of his back. "There, that's better." Looking up, he eyed the hooks.

"Daniel, what are you thinking?" Jason asked, as if he didn't know.

"Whether to suspend you now or in a few minutes."

"In a few minutes?" Jason asked, looking down the bed at Jack before his view was obstructed by a light kiss from Daniel's lips as he moved over him. This close, the smell of the leather reached him; it was intoxicating. When Daniel pulled back and stared down at him, Jason moved his body, trying to insinuate Daniel between his legs.

"What are you up to?" Daniel asked as he drew a finger down the middle of Jason's abdomen, teasing his navel and the ring there.

"Trying to tell you that I want you between my legs."

"Really?" Daniel asked coyly. "Why?"

"Because," Jason said, and leaned up to steal a swift kiss. "I want to feel you."

"You will," Daniel promised. He looked over his shoulder as he pushed away, leaning on his side. Jack was a picture. Lying on his side, head propped in one hand, one knee bent so the other hand had easy access to his balls, rolling them slowly in his palm. "Jack? What do you want to do?" he asked, moving away from Jason, but Jack raised his hand to stop him.

"I'm good," he said.

"You're good?" Daniel asked.

Jack's eyes changed slightly, becoming...harder, but no less emotional, passionate. "I have plans of my own, and right now, watching you and Jason is the first part. So, please, continue. I'm _good_."

Daniel eyed him warily, but inside he was screaming, _Yes!_ He was hoping Jack had something planned. With anticipation, he looked away and put Jason front and center. With a purposeful gleam in his eyes, he moved between Jason's legs, pushing them wide apart. With a wide swipe of his tongue, he firmly licked the skin behind his balls, smiling to himself when Jason hissed.

Stiffening his tongue, he moved to the valleys between groin and hip, tracing circular designs and moaning when Jason responded with several jerks. Planting a kiss in the creases further down each side, he moved up to take a long, slow lick up the shaft of his cock, making Jason pull at his restraints, and Daniel moved back to admire his work.

The hard clank of metal, wood, and leather made a wonderful sound as Jason didn't waste any time becoming impatient. "Daniel," he said, trying to lure him up the bed, up his body with seductive shifts of his hips.

"I'm getting there, Jason," Daniel answered, and placed a kiss on his skin below the navel. "But I think that first, it's time to tie your ankles."

"Kiss me first," Jason asked, eyes half open with obvious lust.

Daniel grinned and crawled up his body, aiming for... nothing he ended up getting. Jason's considerably strong legs wrapped around him just above his hips and held him secure.

"Gotcha."

Jason's quick moves and devious thinking now had him trapped. "Nice moves," Daniel complimented.

"I think so," Jason replied smugly, then lifted up, rubbing his cock over the top portion of Daniel's groin, the laces rough and good. He bit his lip, trying not to smile when Daniel tried getting free, but between his strong thighs, there was no way. Dropping his head back, Jason closed his eyes and let himself enjoy the feel of leather and Daniel's weight.

Daniel could have tried to break free, but really, there was no point. Jason was winding himself up and all to the better for what Daniel had planned. Instead, Daniel moved with him... and thrust against his balls and ass.

Jason inhaled sharply and his eyes flew open, finding Daniel hovering over him, arms locked on either side, smiling like the devil. He coughed, once, when Daniel thrust again, and rolled his hips into him, moving their bodies in tandem.

"This what you want? Or would you rather have me fuck you blind, hmmm?"

Jason stopped, breathing hard. "You are so hot."

"Answer me," Daniel ordered, rhythmically moving his hips now.

"Fuck me," Jason gasped.

Pushing at his knees, Daniel dislodged himself from Jason's grip, he stood up, gingerly placing his feet, picked up a length of chain and held it over his head. He realized he needn't have worried about the length, but it was obvious some measuring was needed. He lifted Jason's leg until it was at a nearly perfect right angle to his body, level with his hips. The chain ran eight links past his ankle. Daniel nodded and after gently letting go of Jason's ankle, he counted links, hooked it, and set the right chain accordingly. Smiling down at Jason, he looked over his shoulder at Jack. "Are we ready?"

"As ever," Jack answered, leveling an enigmatic look at Daniel.

It was his turn to swallow and Daniel turned around, taking a deep breath. Holding onto the left chain--or rather, the right one since it was for Jason's right--he lifted Jason's leg once more and with a metallic click, connected the snap from Jason's ankle cuff to the last link of chain, then ran his hand in a caress over his shin and calf. "I think I'm going to set a scene and tell you a story, Jace. One that will actually be taking place."

Whenever they had decided to tell each other _stories_ , the sex was always so much hotter. Being tied like this only made it better, Jason thought, and murmured, "Go on."

There was a slow, evil smile, and Daniel said, "P4X-554. The Akonai. The clan people that were a sort blending between Gaul warriors and Roman gladiators. Do you remember?" It had been just over two years ago but they should definitely remember them.

Jason closed his eyes. He had no trouble remembering. A passionate people in everything they did. The intensity of it was a little scary at first until they'd spent three days there getting used to them. What Jason remembered most, aside from the gorgeous men, was the constant annoyance he felt at being called a _quiet and restrained_ Tau'ri...and how that had turned a few of the warriors on.  "I remember."

"Do you remember, Jack?" Daniel asked without turning around.

"I remember."

"And do you both remember the leader of the rival clan that came in from the South?" he asked, running two fingers down the back of Jason's leg, from ankle to upper thigh. "The one who refused to give us his name, and after the negotiations were through, left us with an unusual threat?" His hand moved inward, sliding over the inner thigh, then back up to the ankle. Jason groaned.

"Mmmm hmmm," was all Jack said.

Daniel finally attached his lover's right ankle to the chain, and repeated the teasing caresses in silence, letting his lovers relive that mission. When he felt Jason was sufficiently _lulled_ from the caresses, he brought his lips to his ankle, and _nipped_ , grinning over his skin when Jason tried to pull away.

"You can't get away," Daniel told him, "and do you know why?" His bites moved from ankle to calf to behind the knee, with Jason's muscles twitching with the need to pull away. "Because you're caught," he said quietly, moving from knee to thigh to hip in a rapid succession of bites and nips, each getting successively harder and more excruciatingly _good_ the closer he got to Jason's groin. "And I think you know by who, don't you, Jason," he whispered, and dropped down to hover between his legs, over his abdomen.

Daniel reached into the pocket of his leather pants and retrieved the blindfold. Balancing his groin against Jason's ass, he spread his knees and leaned over him, letting his weight settle carefully on his elbows as they rested next to his ribs. Jason's eyes were dark, filled with anticipation, desire, as well as uncertainty. Daniel smiled as he held the blindfold in one hand, rubbing it between his fingers. "We went back to the planet, but were caught out in a storm that drove us to seek shelter away from the friendly village. Unfortunately, we were caught. By him."

Daniel leaned forward a little more and held up the blindfold, showing it to Jason and giving him time to shake his head or utter a no. When Jason didn't, Daniel acted. He quickly covered his eyes with the thick velvet and attached the velcro fastener in the back. He whispered over Jason's lips, "You're held by the leader from the south, the one who towered over us at 6'8". You've only just gotten a glimpse of all that bronzed skin and hard muscle before he's blindfolded you." He kissed his lover's lips lightly, teasingly. "He's the one who has you, Jason. The one that looked like sex on a very big stick, and the one who threatened to sell us as sex slaves. Do you remember?"

"I remember," Jason whispered. The leader of that clan had been very real, a tempting erotic fantasy. His hair had been cropped and spiky, his face adorned with a scar along one jaw that moved when he spoke. His ice blue eyes had held you in a way that was scary, but scary in an erotic way that Jason hadn't wanted to analyze. He'd been drawn to him, especially in fantasy, as they all had been. But not once had Jason ever entertained the idea of using him in their erotic storytelling. The idea that Daniel was using him now was... making his dick stand up and sing.

"He's over you now, Jason," Daniel went on, dropping his voice a few notes, speaking in a low, husky tone. "While Jack and I are chained nearby, he's selected you first. I'm watching, bound and gagged and unable to take my eyes away from you... or him. He's in that leather he wore when we saw him last," and Daniel pushed back, sliding the front of his leather-clad thighs over the backs of Jason's until he knelt before him. He was conscious of Jack watching, hearing the sound of slickness on skin. His eyes moved to the bedside table. When had Jack grabbed the lube from there?

His hands were at his crotch, quickly untying the laces. "Do you remember, Jack?" he asked. There was a quiet "Yes," from behind, deep and erotic, and it sent chills down Daniel's spine. He had wondered what Jack might think of the story, but the tone his lover used said that Jack was just fine with it. He turned to look, keeping his eyes on Jack's when he leaned over a little to take the gun oil lube from the bed. Jack's hand snatched out and grabbed his wrist, scaring him a little, and Daniel inhaled sharply. Jack looked like he was going to say something, but he didn't. He simply let go as abruptly as he'd grabbed him.

He was setting the mood even higher, Daniel realized. Jesus.

Taking the lube, Daniel set it next to him and opened his leather trousers. His cock sprung free and the cool air hit him, making him hiss. Daniel pushed his pants down over his ass and picked up the lube. He poured oil into his gloved hand and coated his cock generously, getting ready for what would come.

Slicking both gloves with oil now, he continued his story. "I can see what he plans to do, Jason, and god..." He reached for Jason's cock and balls, taking both in his slick, leathered hands, loving how Jason hissed in surprise and groaned at the surprising feel of both oil and leather. "Oh god, Jason, watching his hands touch your cock, seeing you jerk in surprise..." He began to jerk him off, sliding his fist up and down in slow but rough strokes, not bothering to be careful.

"Yes, god, yes," Jason replied, turning his head from side to side, moaning constantly through bitten lips.

"His touch is rough, powerful, and feels good whether you want it to or not. He's threatened this, taking us one by one, making us his, and god, Jason, he's going to do it. God, he's going to do _you_." Daniel pumped harder, distracting Jason there as his other hand released his balls. He slid two oiled fingers down, pushing, rubbing, arousing, closing in on his sphincter.

Jason gasped as _the_ fingers pressed hard, rubbing the sensitive skin, before they edged further back and with a sudden push, penetrated his body. Jason jerked in surprise, his hips thrusting up, cock moving through the tight fist while his ass clamped down around the invading fingers. It was fucking _good_ , but he shouldn't show him that, should he?

To Daniel's surprise, Jason began to fight him, trying to pull away from each touch to his ass, each stroke to his cock. "Fighting only makes him want you more," Daniel warned him, but Jason kept jerking away, even though his movements were useless... hopeless. "He loves it, Jason. Keep fighting him. He'll love it all that much more when he fucks you."

Jason thrust up violently then, moving to Daniel's cue. "You can't do this, you can't," Jason growled, making sure he never said 'no'.  That was Daniel's cue for the next part to begin.

He leaned over Jason again, weighing him down, though Jason's writhing made it difficult for his cock to line up. That was okay, though. "You can't fight it," he told him, reaching underneath the pillow with one hand, while he reached with his right and grabbed Jason's thigh. His cock lined up enough for him to move with Jason's body and he tried holding him there by pushing just a bit. Jason gasped, trying to thrash, and managed to knock Daniel away. Daniel only smiled as he breathed against his cheek, "I know you want him, Jason. You want his cock. You want him to fuck you."

"I--" Jason started, but Daniel cut him off with a brutal kiss, tongue deep in his mouth, wrestling with Jason's as a moan from his lover's throat resonated between their mouths. Pulling away with bites to his lover's chin, Daniel brought the gag close, holding it in both hands, waiting.

"He's going to take you, Jason, but you won't cooperate like a good little... slave," and he placed the gag over Jason's mouth, securing it quickly behind his head.

Jason arched, alarmed, and moaned _loudly_. He saw only what Daniel's story had him believing, and thrashed his head back and forth to dislodge the gag. Only he had no intention of dislodging it; it surprised him more than anything to know that he actually _liked_ this. How the hell had Daniel known? Or had he just hoped he'd like it? It didn't matter now; Jason's lust erupted like a house on fire and he couldn't stop moaning, panting through his nose as Daniel rubbed his cock against his ass.

Then Daniel kissed him, hard, over the gag, and all he wanted right then was to be fucked. "Take it, Major," Daniel whispered gruffly over his mouth, and _pushed_ hard, past the tight barriers of resistance and into hot muscle that clamped over his _invading_ cock. Jason yelled through his gag, trying to thrust back, as expected, and he made a different noise that Daniel was unfamiliar with. And it sure as hell didn't sound like _No_. "You feel so good, and god, he can feel that you want it. You want it bad."

Jason's next loud groan excited Daniel and pushed deeper, deeper, until his pubic hair was pressed against his lover's ass. There was a breathless moan through his nose; a weak sound choked off by the emotions of overwhelming desire and pleasure that Daniel couldn't help but feel. They guided him, letting him know how far to go, how rough he could be. Yes, Jason wanted it bad, and so did Daniel.

He loved the power of it; the tight, hot feeling and the sounds Jason made as he held his hips and ground into him, circling, forcing them both to move together in a single, undulating, erotic dance. Each time he circled, his cock rubbed over Jason's gland and his lover emitted small sounds that wound Daniel up, spurring him on to continue the dance for minutes on end.

"God, look at you," he breathed. The desire to thrust was just as overwhelming, and slowing their 'dance', Daniel adjusted his hips for a series of short, controlled strokes designed to send delicious tremors through them both. "You're his, Jason, fucking you however he pleases. Owning you."

Those last words evoked the need for Jason to yank at the restraints, to give the appearance of resistance when that was the very last thing he was thinking of. Jolts of electric pleasure suffused his body each time Daniel changed their dance and Jason couldn't stop himself from thrashing back and forth, unable to keep still as _the leader_ fucked him. It went on and on, stroke after stroke, before Jason felt the warning deep in his balls. He shuddered and bucked hard, his choked whimper signalling to Daniel that it was time, that he would come soon, that he needed that extra push.  God, he loved this. Jason loved it so fucking much.

Daniel felt the tremor, the warning, right down to his bones. His own nerves were on fire, his entire body thrumming. He threw his head back and closed his eyes, the sensations taking over his body as he _slammed_ home in rough, jarring thrusts.

"Feel him, Jason," he said, and circled his hips once more in that tight, rhythmic dance, but this time, the tempo increased. Faster and faster. "He's fucking you, growling at you, promising to take you this way every single day. And you want him to give it to you, to fuck you so... goddamn... hard." The last words were punctuated with single, pounding thrusts that forced small muffled barks from Jason's throat; he was close. Just one more...

"Beg for it, Jace," he said breathlessly, taking Jason's cock in his fist and pumping rapidly, squeezing the head. Jason yelled from behind his gag, a muffled whine that made Daniel twist his hand up and over, again and again and again. Then from behind, was Jack, surprising the hell out of him when his body brushed by. Jack moved from one side to the other, quickly releasing Jason's legs from the chains, rubbing briskly -- roughly -- and letting them drop.

Then Jack's hands were _around_ Daniel, whispering darkly in Daniel's ear. "Push his knees up." Jack followed the command with the yanking down of Daniel's leather trousers.

Yes, sir, right away, sir. God. Without hesitation, Daniel pushed Jason's knees to his chest and Jason gladly raised them, taking advantage of his limberness to spread them wider, allowing Daniel more access to him. Daniel laid over him, on his elbows, his body jerking as Jack nearly ripped the leathers off him.

Naked now, except for the gloves, Daniel let go and fucked Jason hard. "God, deeper, better! And you can't hold back! Give it to him! Come! Let him hear you scream, Jason, let--"

Daniel's words were abruptly cut off as a hand _pinned_ him to Jason's chest while another quickly spread lube over his ass. Jack, he thought. Oh god.

Two seconds later, knees ruthlessly spread him open and _the leader's_ hard cock filled him so quickly it burned. Daniel gasped and shot his hands up to clutch at Jason's shoulders for support. "Jason, oh god, Jason, he has me, oh fuck!"  He inhaled deeply, catching the musky scent from Jason's armpit, and the smell had him sucking hard onto the nipples beneath his lips. The body behind him ground against his ass; the hands covered in leather clamped down on his hips, holding him, keeping him from moving.  Just as he'd told Jason, Daniel was now the one being _owned_.

Jason arched again as Daniel's mouth bit and sucked his nipples, the nubs becoming sore and red when he pinched too hard. It excited him beyond what he thought himself capable, just as the jarring motion of his lover's body against his own, with the heavy, hard slapping of skin on skin, made his cock tingle and twitch, spilling pre-come endlessly over his stomach.

The sound of Daniel's excited exclamation of surprise was something that Jason wanted to hear again, but was rewarded instead by the deep, throaty grunts he made as he was fucked hard. Jason only wished he could see it, but perhaps this was better, simply _imagining_ the sight. It didn't matter that Daniel was no longer in control of fucking him, either. The moment had, unfortunately, been broken, and his orgasm had backed off the edge. It wouldn't take much to send him over, he knew, but this...this was good. Listening to those _sounds_ ; those shallow, harsh noises that said Daniel was going to come.  Right.  About.  Now.

The sounds increased quickly in volume and Jason could feel his lover shaking; _shaking_ , and then Daniel let go and screamed. " _Fuck!_ "

A second after, Daniel was pulled back, his cock sliding out from Jason's body, and he groaned a 'No' under the gag. He felt Daniel's face, his hair, rubbing into his abdomen, too damn teasingly close to his cock and Jason couldn't help but lift up, his cock pleading for attention. Then came the low, guttural sound that Jason had heard before, from Jack. He told Daniel something as he continued to fuck him and Jason wanted to know what it was; he'd missed it. He yelled through his gag, pulling at his bonds...

And was met with shock and pleasure and surprise, making him spread his legs and strain for more as wet heat surrounded his cock and took him deep inside. Daniel's hands slid underneath, grabbing his hips, holding on as he was fucked again and again, holding on so he could suck and lick and fucking _swallow_.

It was all Jason could stand. He arched, shouting through his gag as he spilled inside Daniel's mouth, and down his chin, and all over his stomach. Fuck. Then Daniel was pushed into him, rocked rapidly against him as he was taken fucking _hard_. Jack wasn't letting up. He pounded relentlessly until he pulled hysterical begging sounds from Daniel's throat, and the only way those sounds could come from Daniel was if he was coming again. Jesus. Jason's cock twitched, spasmed, leaking _still_ , and just as those sounds excited him, they excited Jack, and Jack... lost it.

No matter how much he wanted to keep going, there was no way in hell Jack could hold back. He tried; goddamn it he tried, but those noises Daniel made and the sound of Jason's moaning behind the gag...it was too good, too much, and he was coming so fucking hard, so fucking _good_. It ripped a roar from his throat as his balls emptied, and _that_ hadn't happened in a long damn time. His throat was dry as a bone when he tried to swallow and the only way to cure it was to suck on Daniel's skin. His hip, to be exact.

He felt the echo of his lovers' tremors coinciding with his own but didn't wait it out. Too much weight on Jason, so he slid free and rolled off, taking Daniel with him and releasing the weight off Jason. Jack wanted to remove Jason's gag and blindfold, wanted to ask Daniel if he was okay, but the only energy he had was enough to kiss the side of Daniel's face. He was exhausted. It had been a long time since that had happened, too.

Daniel was sore, lethargic, spent. His hand barely moved on Jason's sweat-sticky chest. He had enough presence of mind, however, to reach underneath and pull the velcro loose from his blindfold and gag. He hugged Jason to him when his lover took deep breaths of air, still panting through his afterglow.

"Okay?" Daniel croaked.

"Brain...mush," Jason whispered in answer, making Daniel laugh against his throat. "You?"

"Road..." Daniel replied, clearing his throat. "...Kill."

Jason couldn't laugh. He just smiled, then sleepily asked, "Jack?"

When there was no answer, Jason nudged Daniel and Daniel forced himself to turn in Jack's arms. Daniel let out a soft snort, kissed Jack's lips, and turned back around. There was just enough revitalizing strength in him to pull Jason closer. "Out," he told him.

Jason made the same soft snort. He felt Daniel's breathing even out and was going to nudge him to let him out of his bonds, but when Jason looked up, he couldn't help the laugh. His thumbs could just reach the metal snaps. He let himself out of his bonds just as he felt Daniel stir.

"Jace?"

"Hmmm?"

Daniel looked up to see what Jason was doing and groaned. "Shit. Sorry."

Jason shook his head. "No problem. I can reach."

Daniel's arm was around his waist when he rolled toward him, puffing a breathy moan against his throat and Jason responded with a groan of satisfaction. With one arm still over his head, he reached over and felt Jack's dampened hair, smiling when Jack rubbed sleepily into his palm. He was coming out of it.

"He's awake," he informed Daniel, but Daniel already knew that when Jack's arms tightened around him.

Daniel grinned to himself but the grin faded with a sudden... change in the air.

It wasn't so much a change as a sensing of something. Emotion. His empathy was picking up something raw that fell upon him like a heavy weight, and it was coming from Jason and Jack. Daniel knew then what it was. It wasn't the euphoria of afterglow.

It was love.

And it was the first time in his life that Daniel actually _felt_ it.

It was very different than _knowing_. He saw it every day whenever they looked at him; felt it physically when they touched him, made love to him; heard it when they lied for him, protected him, killed for him. He knew without a doubt that they'd die for him. That knowledge was as certain as the fact that he'd do all of that in return. For them.

That the feeling was overwhelming was the understatement of his entire life.

Daniel was startled when hands touched his face--and wiped away the tears he hadn't realized were dampening his temples. He looked quickly and found two worried sets of eyes watching him. He laughed, nervously, reassuringly. "I'm fine."

Jack and Jason laughed in unison, the sounds not of comfort but born out of hearing Daniel say those words when he wasn't _fine_.

"I'm okay," Daniel corrected quickly.

"And the tears?" Jason asked, petting his face with the back of a forefinger.

"My empathic ability decided to choose this moment to kick into overdrive," Daniel answered with a sheepish grin.

"Meaning?" Jack asked groggily.

"Meaning..." Daniel started, but paused, trying to figure out how to say it without _saying_ it. He had faith in their love for him, but he also had faith that sudden declarations sometimes embarrassed them--as they did him--and he didn't want this to be one of those times. He thought about it for a few seconds, then took a deep breath. Perhaps the issue here was his having enough faith in them to just say it and hang the consequences. "Meaning that I _felt_ love from you."

Daniel watched them exchange confused glances. They didn't get it. "Empathically. I _felt_ it. I still am feeling it, actually."

"From us?" Jack asked.

"Yeah."

They were quiet, trying to understand, but this would be one thing they couldn't share with him and it made Daniel just a little sad. But his lovers always surprised him, this being no exception. Jack and Jason seemed to sense how he felt and diffused it by snuggling closer, cocooning him with arms and legs and warm, sticky skin.

It was routine; as familiar and comforting as Jason's even breathing on his chest; as Jack's sleepily uttered, "Cool," against his neck as he lulled Daniel to sleep.

 

 

TBC in Part Three


	3. Playground 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The smut continues.

Jack returned from his pre-flight checks and grabbed the navy blue windbreaker from the closet. "You ready?" he called out to Daniel.

"Yeah," came the reply, and Daniel exited the bedroom pulling on his own light jacket. "Did you tell Jason?"

Jack pulled on the jacket and adjusted the collar, a confused frown furrowing his brow. "That we're leaving? Well, duh, Daniel. I showed him the old boathouse-cum-equipment shed, which has the radio. Are you having seconds thoughts?"

They were leaving the house, walking down the pebbled path, toward the shore where the plane sat waiting. "I don't want either of them hurt, that's all."

"Neither do I."

Nothing else was said until they reached the plane. Jack gave Daniel a long look and asked, "What else?"

"Huh?"

"What else is bugging you?"

"I never really considered the complications. The road to hell..." Daniel admitted as he climbed into the co-pilot's seat.

"Ain't that the truth," Jack said as he stowed his flight bag and moved around the plane to Daniel's side. "So... what are you saying? You want to tell Jason to back out?"

"Jack, I'm his boyfriend, partner, love slave," and they both grinned--it was pretty much true, that last one. "I'm not his keeper. It's his choice, his life. It's not up to me. I think he's got a lot on his mind and he's very well aware of the risk he's taking so I'll assume he'll be talking to Alex about it, too. Providing neither shoots first and asks questions later."

Jack snickered. "Nice one."

"Thanks."

"But you may as well ask the planet to stop rotating. Men will always be led by their dicks."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Love sucks, Daniel."

" _That_ I know. No offense."

"None taken, trust me."

**.**

Jason looked up from his search, cocking his head as he listened to the adjustment of the plane's engines, the sound of the propellers, and the echo off the water. All told, the plane was taxiing out of the lagoon.

"There they go," he mumbled to himself.  He'd been in a damn good mood until that moment.

Their first week had been one of the best weeks of his entire life, not just in his relationship with Daniel and Jack. Understanding them and himself seemed to be part of what was happening, but it was also more than that. Experiencing new things with men he thought he knew well was exhilarating, and having the freedom to do it without worry about other things, such as being caught, was an enormous relief and immeasurable benefit. It freed their minds in ways they'd never allowed.

The only problem lay with what they could conceivably come up with, given where they were. They found that, most of the time, the fantasies they thought up were primarily mental, and the things in the real world that they could use were only mood-setting props. Granted, one couldn't pop off to a certain planet or have the _real_ person show up to 'do the deed'--a term that Jack used to purposely annoy Daniel and continually amuse Jason.

But there was an exception. One real person could show up. Alex. Jason also had a feeling that Jack's friend, Stef, might very well turn into one of those _real_ people, too. And speaking of Stef, they still hadn't examined that room of his. It was as if they were giving each other time to get used to the ideas that the room itself gave them, as well as giving them time to...be creative. Uncomfortable or not, all three of them had been getting ideas.

Their time, so far, had been far from uncomfortable. Jason had allowed himself to relax, despite the nervousness about Alex. Their first two days had been the excitement days, a _breaking free_ from restrictions. And pretty much going at each other non-stop...within physical reason. Their third day had to be a rest day, of course. Sort of. Mostly.

Their surroundings afforded them the freedom to just drop to their knees at a moment's notice. It fed desires they held for each other, so any time they wanted to taste each other, watch each other come... it was liberating. Asses might be sore but the rest was renewable within hours... more or less.

Jason grinned at the memory of that morning three days ago, sneaking up on Jack for 'breakfast.' The man had been standing there in the kitchen, minding his own business, concocting his brand of homemade waffles once he'd discovered the damn waffle iron stashed in a bottom cupboard. He'd been mixing up the ingredients and Jason had come into the kitchen, seen Jack, looked at his body, watched that delectable ass shake from the mixing movements... and *there* -- it had hit him. He'd eyed Daniel at the table, whose nose was in his coffee mug, spied the smile he'd given him when Daniel had recognized the look on his face...

Jason had somehow gotten it into his head that he hadn't had Jack's cock in his mouth for the first week, nevermind the near-month off-planet, and it was just plain _overdue_. Jack hadn't spilled anything, consummate professional that he was, although he did drop the whisk afterward when Daniel made a particularly snarky remark about saving his energy. That had a been a show, Jason recalled fondly; watching Jack drop the whisk on the counter and descend on Daniel like a Japanese Zero.

He had stood _no_ chance. Coffee had spilled to the floor--Daniel had forgotten said coffee for a while, anyway--and fortunately the table hadn't been set yet. Daniel had ended up as the centerpiece while Jack had consumed him like an appetizer glass of orange juice. Jason had satisfied himself by watching--his lover had been unable to move his hips, but the back of Daniel's head had smacked the table repeatedly while his fingers white-knuckled the edges and his toes curled and wide-spread legs vibrated. Jack had then remarked afterward, "'Save your strength'? How's yours, Daniel?"

Jason still snickered over that lovely little memory.

The past two days had become a time for talking about what they hadn't been able to do in the past or reliving fond memories in their new surroundings. Daniel had told them that Thursday morning how once, when his parents had been alive, he'd spent a few hours on the Egyptian coastline, trying to make a sand castle and failing.

Jack had then suggested, "To quote a few clichés, there's no time like the present and it's better late than never," and had pointed at their small beach.

It had been a strange thing to realize that their fantasies didn't _have_ to be sexual. So, because of Jack and his brilliant suggestion, Daniel had spent all that Thursday afternoon fulfilling one of his secret childhood fantasies--and Jason and Jack had left him alone to do it.

True to his ability, knowledge, and experience, Daniel had made a work of art, quitting when the tide started coming in to erase it all. Grabbing a camera, Daniel had preserved his enormous castle sanctuary for posterity and had finally come in just before sunset exuding a childlike happiness. There was nothing like fulfilling a small dream, even through the eyes of an adult.

Jason had never seen that particular look on Daniel's face and neither had Jack. To their knowledge, with all the discoveries Daniel had made over the years, nothing had ever put that self-satisfied look in his eyes. Sometimes childhood wishes were seen as _childish_ , but that didn't mean they were.

Jason felt now that something so simple, so rewarding, so long held inside, had somehow healed Daniel of his past more than anything else ever could have. Daniel seemed more... at peace. Jason was damn proud of Jack for suggesting it, as if he'd seen what it could do for his lover.

While Daniel had lived his childhood fantasy, Jason had taken advantage of the time and gone the more adult route... and given Jack an experience from the past. He'd always wanted to know _exactly_ what Jason had done with Daniel during that _first time_ in SG-1's locker room. He knew the details, of course; Jason and Daniel had both described what had happened long before, but neither had actually shown him. Since Jack had been taking a mid-afternoon shower after his gym workout, Jason had decided to do just that.

Jack had been surprised, to say the least, having had the lights turned out on him, then fucked senselessly against the shower wall while holding onto the pipe overhead. Jason still felt the stinging slap on his ass afterwards. Jack had threatened him not to turn the lights out on him ever again -- unless intense orgasm followed.

Jason's smiled faded when he was brought back to the present, remembering where Jack and Daniel had gone. He hadn't wanted to think about the ramifications of inviting Alex to the island, how Alex would react. Now the day was here and Jason was one big bundle of nerves. He feared that Alex would reject him, reject the idea of fulfilling fantasy, that the day was going to _suck_ \--indeed, the next three.

Jason knew that neither Jack nor Daniel had yet told Alex the reason why he'd been invited, nor would they now. Alex was his responsibility, not theirs. Even though it had been Daniel's idea, this was something they were giving _him_ , not themselves. A gift. But would Alex take it that way?

_"Would you like to act on some private fantasies while you're here? Anything you want, Alex. It's your early Christmas present from me."_

"Yeah, that'll go over well," Jason mumbled, and the fear grabbed him by the balls and twisted. He clamped down on it, telling himself that he was over-complicating the matter. Alex _might_ not react badly at all. Alex might decide to live a little and have glorious, challenging sex for three days. Or Alex _might_ also decide to run like hell.

Jason left the boathouse, deciding that a trek around oceanside rock formations could be put off until his mind wasn't distracted. That was no place to lose one's thoughts, or one's footing, and he wasn't in the mood to make rigging out of the available nylon rope.

Glancing behind him at the long building, Jason's mind was suddenly filled with the image of a bound Alex lying on the mound of rope and fishnets, tortured repeatedly by a tongue and...

Jason growled a curse of frustration and ordered himself to stop thinking. _Now_. What he _needed_ to do more than anything else was clear his mind and calm his body, otherwise he'd be nothing more than a headcase when Alex showed up. He didn't need to be broadcasting anything negative to Daniel, either. Damn nuisance that empathy was beginning to be.

Stopping at the deck steps that descended into the backyard, Jason toed off his shoes and walked to the middle of the yard where the ground was flattest. Keeping his back to the house, he set himself into position: feet apart just beyond shoulder-width, arms at his sides. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply and slowly exhaled, allowing himself to float on the sound of the waves and the heat from the earth. When he was ready, he began to move slowly through the Tai Chi exercises designed specifically to bring his _khi_ into balance.

**.**

Daniel had sent an email the day before, telling Alex where to get the shuttle that would take him to the adjoining airport meant for the smaller aircraft. As they had supplies to get, it would be convenient as well as easier on Alex; easier to see them, greet them, and be able to talk freely away from any prying eyes or ears. Besides, Jack was rather possessive of the plane they were renting. There was no way in hell he was leaving it by more than a hundred yards.

At the parking side of the private runway, numbered '12' on the tarmac, they'd just finished loading the food crates from the Jeep when Daniel spotted movement to his right and shaded his eyes.

"Incoming traveller," he said, smirking.

"Cute, Daniel," Jack replied as he hopped out of the cargo area and looked across the field toward the small flight office. An airport shuttle bus was coming to a halt. "Go grab him, would you? I've gotta tie this crap down."

Daniel gave him one of his indulgent looks. "And the reason you can't do that after we _both_ go get him is?"

"To save time?" Jack offered, and seeing that Daniel wasn't buying it, he suggested, "There'll be more room in the Jeep if I stay here."

Daniel shook his head. "He's only staying for three days."

"Maybe he packs heavy."

"Jack, we're both nervous. Get your ass in the Jeep and we'll both go greet him."

Daniel got in the Jeep and waited, tapping both hands on the steering wheel while Jack stifled a growl. Daniel would sit there till hell froze over, damn him, or he'd get pissy and leave the Jeep to _walk_ over to get Alex. While it wasn't that far, maybe a football field in distance, lugging around baggage would only make the distance seem ten times that.

Without a word, and without looking at him, Jack climbed in and grabbed the overhead roll bar. Daniel threw it in gear and drove around the plane, heading straight across the grassy field toward the shuttle bus.

Jack squinted at him through his shades. "Sand dunes or airport scrub grass, it's all the same to you, isn't it? There _is_ a road, Daniel."

"That overgrown, pot-holed thing?" Daniel asked as the Jeep's shocks bounced slightly over the uneven ground.

"And that's different to the holes in this field how?"

"No cracked pieces of asphalt to hit, no nails, no road kill, no--"

"Alright, alright. Just shut up and drive. If we hit a rabbit, you get to eat it."

"We're more likely to hit a quail. And if you didn't want Alex here, why didn't you just cancel the visit with some excuse?"

Alex held his hand over his head in greeting and Jack waved back as he answered. "It's not that, Daniel. It's Jason."

Daniel understood what he meant. "I'm hoping Alex accepts because it would be fun to actually see him chase Jason."

Jack thought about that and a grin spread itself across his face. "You think Jason will play it like that?"

"No, I think Alex will. I think the man's less vanilla than Jason thinks he is. So, _fun_." Jack's grin twisted slightly at the corner and Daniel couldn't help but copy it.

"I think our part will be to get Gidget over there to relax," Jack commented.

"Gidget?" Daniel guffawed. "Jack, don't say that to his face."

"Only if he pisses me off. Look at him. He looks like MTV collided with..."

"Miami Vice? Hardly Gidget, Jack. Make up your mind."

"Just the vanilla part, Daniel. He certainly doesn't look it, though he can get that innocent look you've mastered."

"Me?" Daniel asked innocently and fell into a fit of laughter when Jack's expression became threatening.

The Jeep crossed the grass onto the smooth tarmac and Daniel slowed down as they approached Alex. The man's dark honey-blond hair was windswept above mirrored sunglasses. It wasn't all that cold, winter or not, but the man wore off-white cotton trousers anyway, though the matching jacket had the sleeves pushed up. The collarless shirt underneath was a dark lavender grey and looked nice on him. Daniel rarely saw Alex in anything but black and green and brown. He suddenly bit down a laugh, though, when he saw the pair of off-white canvas shoes.

"What?" Jack asked. When Daniel nodded at Alex's feet, Jack's brow line rose in amusement.

Bringing the Jeep to a halt next to Alex, Daniel greeted him with a smile as he got out, clasped his hand, and pulled him into a hug. "You know, you look just like Sonny Burnett," he teased.

Alex's mouth dropped open. "Oh great, just what I need."

"Except you're prettier," Jack quipped, then snapped his fingers when the name came to him that he'd been trying to think of. "Like Bon Jovi." He shook Alex's hand and gave him a shoulder squeeze in place of a hug. "How ya doin'?"

Alex started to laugh embarrassingly, not knowing what else to do. "Fine, sir. Didn't think you knew who Bon Jovi was."

"Hey," Jack complained, managing to looked chagrined. "You would prefer I repeat who everyone at the base _says_ you look like?"

Alex became even more embarrassed. "Heard about that, did you, sir?"

"I haven't heard. Who?" Daniel asked, annoyed. He hated missing out.

Jack couldn't keep the grin of revenge off his face. "Remember who he dressed up as for Halloween last year?"

Daniel had to think a moment, then his eyes widened. Alex actually did look sort of like him. "No wonder that costume looked really good on you."

Alex rolled his eyes skyward. "Jason teases me enough."

"He ever call you Neo after that?" Daniel asked.

"For about a month," Alex answered, unable to keep from grinning as he relaxed, getting used to their teasing already.

Jack watched him and decided he liked making him laugh. Now, he wanted to make him blush more, just because he knew he could.  "You're pretty like he is, and like him, you don't need to shave," and he traced a finger over Alex's jaw line. "Although this really isn't hair, is it? More like peach fuzz," and laughed when Alex batted his hand away.   _Blushing_.  Jack grinned his head off in silent victory.

Alex felt himself slowly relax despite the feeling of being in over his head in coming here. "You're as big a smart ass as Jason says you are, sir."

"You've got a thing for them, haven't you?" Daniel asked as he shot a smirk at Jack.

"Who?" Jack asked innocently.

Daniel's eyes glittered. "DJ, BJ, and Mr. Anderson." Alex started laughing.

Jack's grin grew more devilish as he picked up Alex's single suitcase. "Do you?"

Daniel winked at Alex. "I'd do them in a hot Miami minute."

Alex suddenly flushed and turned away to hide it, wondering if Daniel meant Keanu or... _him_.

"Make it quick, then, we don't have all day," Jack shot back as he placed Alex's suitcase in the back of the Jeep. They cracked up as their eyes met, then saw the flabbergasted look on their guest's face.

"Sorry, Alex," Daniel apologized. "We've just been having a fun week so far. How's the flight?"

"It was fine, thanks," Alex answered, simply amazed at their behavior toward him.

"Climb in," Jack gestured at the back seat. "This all you have?" he added, gesturing at Alex's overnight bag on his shoulder and the suitcase in the back.

"Yeah, it was all I needed," Alex answered as he took a seat in the back, setting his overnight bag next to him.

"Okay then," Jack replied as he and Daniel hopped in. Saying nothing about Alex's apparent nervousness, they sped off toward the plane, and two minutes later, parked the Jeep in a covered park for vehicles a few yards from the plane's marked slot.

Alex hopped out and grabbed his suitcase before Jack could get it. "Sorry, sir," he apologized, "it just seems silly for you to take it when I can."

"Jack."

"Excuse me?"

"I told you last week. We're on leave, so it's just Jack. Or Hey You."

"Hey You," Daniel said, passing him. "Tie down that shit and let's get a move on."

"Fuck you, Jackson," Jack cracked. With a quick look at Alex's reaction, he shook his head. "Alex, relax." He set to securing the load in the back of the plane as Alex opened the passenger door and tossed his overnight bag inside.

He didn't get inside, hesitating, and found Daniel watching him. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Can I ask you something?"  Alex wasn't in the mood to skirt around the issue. Jack may have told him what the vacation would be about but he really had to know what was expected of him, and what he should expect in return.

Daniel held up a hand. "Let me guess. Why are you here?"

Alex's eyes showed surprise. "Yeah."

"We're gonna leave it up to Jason to answer that."

"Great," Alex sighed with disappointment.

"Why did you come?" Jack sent back just a little too sharply. He gave him an apologetic look soon after but Alex's tone made him edgy. If Alex did _anything_ to make Jason feel like shit, he'd dropkick his ass back to the mainland, and told Daniel that with a look when his lover sent a questioning glance his way.

"Because I... was asked," Alex answered carefully.

Skittish as a colt, Jack thought. "And I asked because of Jason. Since the two of you are supposed to be close friends, you will have to actually talk to each other about why you're here."

"Supposed to be?" Alex asked, his hackles rising.

"Jason should have asked you directly," Daniel said, stepping in before Jack's prickly, i.e., protective, behavior made things worse. "Since there was that whole jealousy issue, Jack thought it would be better if he asked instead, but now, we're handing it back to Jason."

"Confused yet?" Jack asked, letting himself cool off, thanks to Daniel.

"Way past that, I think," Alex said. He was definitely confused, and the strange fluttery feeling in his stomach didn't do anything to settle him down, either.

"Good, now get in, and the sooner we get back, the better. I've got seafood spoiling to be eaten. You like seafood, right, Alex?"

Alex nodded, feeling that he'd just been hit by the Dynamic Duo. He probably had.

**.**

Alex hated feeling useless so he left his things in the plane and helped carry the large food crates to the main bungalow's kitchen. Moving through the kitchen's entrance, he and Jack set the crate on the heavily-built kitchen table, and Alex took a moment to look around. He didn't see Jason and the disappointment he'd experienced when Jason hadn't come to meet him at the dock increased.

Jack observed the look and slapped him on the back. "Don't worry. He's around somewhere. C'mon, let's get the other crate while Daniel manages with the smaller stuff."

"Smaller, yes," Daniel grunted as he set a small styrofoam ice chest on the counter, "but no less heavy." Following them back outside, he also took a look around and couldn't help but wonder if Jason was making himself scarce. He wouldn't be that silly with his fears, would he? Daniel dismissed the question. Jason would face them, as always, so he was likely occupied with something.

Ten minutes later, all the supplies were safely inside and Alex was just bringing up his overnight bag and suitcase. When he reached the deck, Daniel gestured to him. "Don't set that stuff down, Alex. May as well get you settled in the second bungalow."

Alex took a deep breath and followed, his thoughts still on Jason, and the disappointment gnawing at him. He was thoroughly disgusted with himself, hating that he'd put so much emphasis on something he couldn't control. Like his feelings for the man. He'd put them in their proper context, true, but it still did nothing for his peace of mind whenever he was within Jason's proximity. He had to gain control over that, too, and perhaps the next few days would be his chance to do just that.

Halfway there, between buildings, Daniel looked to his left, through the small trees, into the backyard. Jason was performing his Tai Chi exercises, and Daniel immediately veered left to watch. He put his finger to his mouth to indicate silence, not wanting to disturb Jason's concentration. He rarely had a chance to watch him do these particular exercises anymore, and he was, in Daniel's opinion, male beauty personified when he went through them; like Teal'c, when their Jaffa friend performed his own regimen.

Alex set his things down and followed, his eyes never leaving Jason. He'd seen him perform the exercises several times during his friendship with the man, but lately, Jason had taken to doing them offworld and only in peaceful, secure surroundings. Watching him was not something he'd ever forget, but he had to watch nonetheless. The exercises were like a dance and Alex was always fascinated by the control, the grace. He wished he'd learned martial arts at a young age like Jason had, but at least he knew enough to fight and defend.

Jason's balance was amazing, Daniel thought, as Jason slowly pivoted on one foot, bringing the other leg up, around, and extended to the side while his arms flowed over his head and came down in slow, defensive motions, hands constantly moving, rarely staying in one position for very long. Though the movements were slow, they were continuous, and they put a person through their paces. Jason's shining skin told that tale.

Daniel caught movement to his left and saw Jack on the back deck, leaning on the wooden railing, as glued to watching as they were. None of them knew how long Jason had been at it, but Daniel figured an hour. Jason could do those exercises for a lot longer. The fact that he was doing them here, in the middle of the day, instead of early morning as he typically did them, suggested to Daniel that his lover had needed to calm his mind. That meant he was a lot more nervous than he'd let on.

With a deep breath, Daniel backed away, gesturing firmly for Alex to follow. When they were back to where Alex had set down his things, he finally spoke, but in a very quiet voice as he led Alex through the bungalow's open front door.

"If we stay longer, he'll pick up that we're there and I don't want to disturb him. I trust you're familiar with why he does those exercises, other than to keep in practice and in shape?"

"Yeah, Daniel, I'm aware," he told him solemnly as he set his things down in front of the living room sofa.

"Oh, right," Daniel said, wincing as he caught the slight look of annoyance. "Sorry."

Alex took a deep breath and waved his hand at him. "No, don't be. I know him, just not as completely as you, if you see what I mean."

"I meant no offense."

"None was taken so let's forget it," Alex replied and waved him off again.

Daniel accepted that and moved on, gesturing around him. "The owner said that whatever's here is free to use, unless it's locked up." He then gestured at the door at the end of the hallway. "That is... well, a fetish room. You can check it out but I thought I'd warn you first." He gave Alex an amused smile and waited, watching the man's features change from curious to puzzled.

" _Fetish_ room?" Alex asked, a smirk coming to his lips. "As in a kink playroom?"

Daniel couldn't help but look surprised. "You know what that is?"

Alex let out a short laugh. "Yeah, I know what it is, Daniel. Despite what Jason and I have shared, and he's undoubtedly shared with you, I am familiar with a lot of things, even if I've never tried them."

Daniel's grin twisted with bemusement. "Sorry. I think I'm guilty of what most people assume with me."

"That innocence thing?" Alex asked knowingly.

Daniel let out a similar laugh. "That's the thing. Damned nuisance most of the time, but it sometimes proves useful."

Again, Alex nodded knowingly. "It is sometimes, isn't it?"

"Well, anyway, if you want to check out the room, go ahead. It's not your standard room, but it's got the usual...perks. We don't practice that scene, but it's got some interesting things we might experiment with."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "You haven't yet?"

"No, it's our first week here. We're still getting used to the rhythm of things, so to speak."

Alex snorted. "Gotcha."

"Any questions you have, feel free to ask," Daniel told him, giving him a strange smile. "Jason knows a little more about some things, but Jack and I, like you, _know_ about it; we just haven't played."

Predictably, Alex focused on the part about Jason. "Jason _knows_ knows or...?"

Daniel gave Alex that weird smile again. "Ask him. If you look through the things in your room, I'm sure you'll find more of what Jason is actually experienced with." When Alex's brow line went into his hairline, Daniel laughed fondly. "Sorry, Alex," he said, gently slapping his arm. "I can't help but tease. Never mind. We're going to have an early dinner so we'll be preparing the shellfish Jack ordered right away before it spoils. You're welcome to come join us if you want to help."

"I will, thanks. But I think I'm gonna clean up first. That flight was a pain in the ass."

"Tell me about it." Daniel started to turn, but hesitated. "Alex, I know you're nervous and hate that Jack and I went all mysterious on you, but talk to Jason and things will be fine. It's no big deal, trust me. Also, don't feel that you're intruding, okay? You're not. You're more than welcome here."

Alex returned the nod with a confused frown on his face. "Thanks."

Daniel wanted to say something about not hurting Jason, but experience told him to leave it alone. Jason could take care of himself. "See you in a while," he called back.

"In a while, and thanks," Alex called back as he picked up his things and carried them to the bedroom.

**.**

Jack hefted the large metal pot onto the kitchen table and paused, blowing out a long breath.

"Problems?" Daniel teased, coming in into the kitchen from behind him. A hand went to the small of Jack's back, rubbing.

"No, I'm fine. Should've waited on you, though," and he cracked a sheepish grin. "We _so_ don't need to strain anything but our dicks on this vacation."

"No straining of _anything_ , thank you very much," Daniel replied and he pried Jack's hands off the clamped lid of the pot and placed them around his waist. "Now sore and abused, we can deal with those." His hands slid up the wide back, ending with a firm clasp on Jack's shoulders. Jack returned his smile and answered Daniel's upturned face with a deep kiss that left them breathing hard when they parted.

"I can definitely deal with that," Jack agreed and gave him a quick kiss before they separated and Daniel helped him unclamp the lid to the pot. "So, how's Alex finding his digs?"

Daniel smirked as he set the lid on the floor, propped against the wall and out of the way. "He didn't have much to say about it. I think he's feeling a little overwhelmed, as well as tired from that long plane ride. He'll be over when he's showered and changed."

"Ah. And has Jason made his appearance yet?" Jack asked as he pulled a crab from the large pot.

"Not a sign of him yet," Daniel said, a slight frown of worry marring his brow. "Maybe he plans to sneak up on him, I don't know."

"Think he'll chicken out?"

Daniel shrugged. "We'll see. It'll be Alex's call, whatever happens."

"True." Jack was suddenly hit with a devious thought, which Daniel recognized.

"What?"

"Oh, just that, for once, I wouldn't mind seeing Jason on the receiving end of the hunt." Daniel answered him with an agreeing nod.

**.**

Crossing the large room and hauling the suitcase on the foot of the bed, Alex opened it and threw back the flap, looking around for the dresser. He spied one next to the door, and an open walk-in closet to the right of the dresser, then spied another dresser that reminded him of the wardrobe dressers on Adriann's planet. Chiffonier, if he recalled correctly, shaking his head at the odd names for things.

Alex continued his examination of the room and wondered what else was available in the bungalow. Curiosity took him out of the bedroom for a proper recon of the place he'd be staying in for the next three nights and two days. He stayed away from the _fetish_ room, as Daniel called it, not really in the mood for developing a hard-on right away. Jason could do that with a look, anyway, and given what Daniel had said about what was in that fetish room, and how all things _kink_ tended to arouse Alex, whether he was into it or not, he decided that having a look in that room could be put off for late-night excursions. After everyone had retired, especially Jason.

Thoughts of where he was, and why, returned--as did the wild speculations. Alex mulled them over while he looked around, absently noting the differences between his bungalow and the main one Jack, Daniel, and Jason were apparently staying in. His bungalow was smaller, and he found only the usual five-room layout: living room, kitchen, dining, bath, and bedroom. And that extra room, of course. Both houses had wrap-around decks and that was very cool. He assumed the main bungalow was like his where the French doors for every exit/entry were concerned:  the front doors, the back doors through the kitchen's dining room, and in the bedroom.

Stopping in the middle of the living room, he stared at the back doors and wondered if Jason was still exercising. Worry began to creep in on him. He was invited here for a reason, that much was not hard to figure out. But _what_? Okay, one thing he'd learned being Jason's friend and not just his teammate was to never presume anything. Guessing incorrectly messed things up, but Alex couldn't help it this time. He was almost sure that Jason asked him here to...

What? Give him news? Okay, plausible. Good or bad? His Grandma had always said that bad news could wait, but Alex grew up preferring to get the bad news first. And Jason knew that. So did he bring him out here to give him that bad news?

Perhaps. If Jason felt safer here in giving it.

Alex cringed. This was not good. Jason had been hinting at retirement, and Alex still thought that odd; it didn't seem like Jason had been in for almost twenty years. Alex had only his ten, and couldn't fathom retirement. He was trying to understand his friend and commander, what the man wanted out of his life, but Alex selfishly didn't want Jason to leave. He didn't understand why Jason couldn't do other things _and_ be leader of SG-2. The Air Force wasn't that restrictive. Well, to most freedoms, anyway. It _was_ the military, and all the homophobic bullshit came with that. One learned to live with it or they left.

Alex froze. God, was that it? Was that why Jason was leaving early? Alex sighed. No, that wasn't the feeling he'd gotten from Daniel or Jack. Or Jason, for that matter. It was something else, something just as personal and...

A dark dread suddenly filled him. What if it had nothing to do with Jason himself? What if...god, did Jason plan to transfer _him_ because of his feelings? Shit. Shitshitshit.

But why bring him to Hawaii if he were going to do that? To let him down easy, that's why. To bring him to some place nice, make him feel better. Jason always did care about how he felt and--

A growl from behind forced a scream from Alex and he jumped to the side, spinning round, nearly falling over till he righted himself and found...

Jason. Standing there a few feet away, shirtless, sweaty, hair in his eyes...and laughing.  His.  Ass.  Off.

"You should see your face," Jason greeted, walking over to him.

Alex's lips thinned, then twisted in a scowl of disapproval. "God, you _asshole_! Scared the shit out of me."

Jason's mirth died quickly as he abruptly sobered, seeing the quite obvious shock and fear on Alex's face that had _nothing_ to do with scaring him. "Shit, I'm sorry, Alex," and he closed the short distance to take him in his arms, hugging him--sweaty skin and all.

Alex tried very hard not to inhale, or touch. "God, J, did you have to do that?"

Jason let go and stepped back. "Yeah, but you're usually in a better frame of mind when I do," he said worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Ah huh. Well, first things first. It's good to see you," and Jason gently slapped the man's shoulder.

"You, too," Alex replied, squinting a little, taking a longer look. "You look...well, I was going to say restful but..."

"Yeah, the sweaty look isn't all that restful-looking is it?" Jason laughed.

"Not really, no," Alex countered, refusing to tell him that he looked damn sexy. In the meantime, he had to calm his heart down from the scare, what with the antsy fear still there.

"So, what's got you so spooked?"

"Nothing," Alex said, trying on a glare and failing when he realized how...misleading that sounded.

"Ah huh, you said that and it's a crock. You've got that rabbit look, Alex. What's the matter?"

Alex tried another deflection instead. "Where'd you come from?"

Jason thumbed at the open double doors that led to the backyard, but he never took his eyes off Alex's face. The man _was_ spooked.

"What's wrong? Tell me."

Alex started to pace and Jason watched him, recognizing his affected display. Alex did this whenever he was especially agitated about something.

"Alex, what's--"

"Did you bring me out here to tell me you're transferring me?" Alex blurted out suddenly.

Jason noticed that he held his breath afterwards, preparing himself for the bad news he was somehow convinced he'd get. Jason closed his eyes and sighed, and when he opened them, he put a hand on Alex's shoulder, squeezing and shaking him slightly with reassurance. "You're safe, so's your job." He shook him harder. "I'm not about to let you get away, you dimwit. I need you, so kill the paranoia."

Alex visibly relaxed, then laughed sheepishly for letting his fears take over. "Okay, sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for." He almost began to explain but surrendered hypocritically to his own fears. Instead, he quickly and deftly redirected. "So, what do you think of the place? Nice, eh?"

"Yeah, it's great," Alex nodded, allowing the subject change.

"Having a look around, doing recon?" Jason grinned.

"As always, which is something my Mom used to do whenever we stayed at a hotel so I'm pretty sure recon was learned at home, not in the military."

Jason laughed knowingly. "My Mom and Dad were like that, too. Grandfather, not so much. He'd just stand in the center of things, close his eyes, and _feel_ the place," and Jason mimicked his Grandfather, spreading his hands out and closing his eyes.

Alex bit his lip in amusement. "You know, you do that, too?"

Jason's eyes opened. "I do?"

Alex nodded. "Sometimes. On missions to new planets."

Jason thought back and realized he _did_ do that. "Huh. Go figure." He was going to ask something else when he couldn't help but notice Alex's eyes flicker in the direction of the fetish room. It was still a look of curiosity, not knowledge, so Alex obviously hadn't been in there yet. Daniel must've told him though and it was obvious that Alex was interested. Another surprise.

"Unpacked yet or still doing recon?" Jason asked, heading into the bedroom.

"Recon first, till you scared a few years off me." Jason sniggered and Alex couldn't help but feel something flow through him. Love was what he was calling it lately.

"Well, let's get you unpacked. Hungry?" Jason asked, watching him.

"Yeah, I am. Daniel said that dinner would be early but I could go help prepare after I settle."

"Crab," Jason said, sighing, then caught the cringe from Alex. "Don't worry, they're hopefully killing them as we speak. Like me, Jack and Daniel have never catered to boiling them alive." He shuddered. "Barbaric ritual. Anyhow, it'll be fun. We'll get messy and have some great salad. Daniel makes a pretty mean crab salad dinner."

Alex took a deep breath, nodding. He wanted to ask something but Jason was changing the subject again.

"Okay, let's see what we have here," Jason said as he opened and closed the four drawers of the dresser, finding them empty. He checked the walk-in closet and there was plenty of room for anything Alex wanted to hang. "Cool. Stash your stuff in here or the dresser here," and he glanced at Alex's luggage and frowned. "You didn't bring much. Aren't you going to your folks' from here?"

"Yeah, but I get clothes every damn year for Christmas, so I've learned to pack light."

Jason walked to his suitcase but Alex waved him off. "I can do it." He watched his friend all the while, though, concern filling him. Jason was on pins and needles and if it wasn't about _him_ , what the hell was it? "What's going on? Are you okay?"

"I was just worried that you'd get here in one piece, or how you'd like it here, that's all," Jason said, visibly forcing himself to relax.

Alex calmed down, noting with relief that Jason was telling him the truth. "Okay, but you're still looking wound up."

"I'm just thrilled to have you here. Relax. And you know, sorry for scaring you."

"That's okay."

But it wasn't.

At that moment, Jason suddenly felt as if he _knew_ what would happen; how Alex would react if he posed the question. And he chickened out.

He couldn't ask, couldn't risk hurting the man. Following that thought was how Daniel would react to the news and Jason began to fill his mind with plausible cover stories and how to carry them out. He couldn't hurt Daniel for wanting to make him happy, could he? No. Better to have semi-dirty white lies than see the disappointment and guilt. This vacation wasn't going to have any of that negative shit. No matter what Jason had to do.

"Jason?" Alex asked, interrupting as he returned from his suitcase with a handful of items.

"Hmmmm? What? You okay?" he asked as he found his friend frowning at him.

" _I'm_ fine, but you're not," Alex answered, pointing with a hand that held, rather ironically, a few pairs of briefs. He cleared his throat and said, "You were far away."

"Yeah, this place will do that," Jason waved dismissively.

"Ah huh. Horseshit. Where were you?"

Jason took a deep breath. "Just thinking."

Alex frowned more deeply. "If I'm in the way, if I shouldn't have come here--"

"Alex," Jason said, going to him and putting both hands on his shoulders. "You're fine. It's just stuff on my mind, that's all. There's nothing wrong and it's got nothing to do with you, okay?"  Another lie, but that was okay.

"Does it have anything to do with Jack mentioning that this vacation is sort of your own version of Fantasy Island? Because I can't help but feel I'm in the way." Alex wanted to kick himself for saying it, but he couldn't help speaking the truth. Jason's distracted attitude was worrying.

Jason let him go slowly, realizing that he'd felt a deep temptation in his fingers to caress what had been under them. He stuffed his hands in the small pockets of his shorts instead. "No, you're not in the way, or intruding. Trust me, okay? What Jack said, by the way, was a tease. He gets like that."

Surprised, Alex was set off track. "Oh, um...right, sorry." Now what? he asked himself.

"So, let's finish this and go help with dinner."

"Sounds like a plan," Alex replied, and appreciated Jason helping him, even if he hadn't needed any. They were quiet for a few minutes, then Jason groaned. "What?"

"While you're here, if you don't mind, I'll be spending most of my free time here."

"Have you been drinking, Jason?" Alex asked, studying him.

That caught him up short. "No, why?"

"Because you're asking me if it's okay to spend time with me when you're the one who invited me here."

"Oh," Jason replied, wincing and looking sheepish. "Right."

Alex set some shirts in the drawer and paused, resting an arm on the dresser top. "You're acting very weird. What the hell is going on?"

Shit. Jason had to order himself to back up, gain control. He wasn't doing a good job of anything right now. While Alex waited patiently, Jason closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and willed his body language and emotions under control--and thought up the lie he'd use. He finally opened his eyes, stared at Alex, and said quite seriously, "I've been having that Agatha Christie nightmare vision again."

Alex's features changed and Jason knew he believed him. It wasn't exactly a lie, but once Jason began analyzing the dream visions as a puzzle to solve and not as something unknown to fear, they'd stopped coming to him as nightmares. Except right now, he almost wished they still were. He hated forcing himself to lie, regardless of the reason.

"That one where you found me all cut up and...?"

"Yeah, that one. It hasn't changed any, but there's a warning there, like a big increase in emotion or something. It's spooky, so it's woken me up a few times. I haven't told Daniel or Jack, so if you value your life, you won't either."

Alex sighed with relief, and a different sort of worry. "I promise, not a word."

"One more thing?"

"What's that?"

"Because I'm gonna be spending as much time as I can with you while you're here, I've decided to um, give them time alone. Which means sleeping here on the couch or outside. I think maybe--"

"Jason, you can share the bed with me. It's bloody big enough," he gestured. "And I promise, I don't bite. Well--"

Jason closed his eyes, cringing. "Don't say it."

"Okay," Alex answered, biting his lips together. _He did bite, actually._ "So why leave them alone?"

"Well, one, it feels rude to me to leave you alone every night. And two, I know for a fact that when they're together, just the two of them, there's a bit of guilt about leaving me feeling left out. I never feel that way, of course, but it doesn't keep them from thinking that anyway. So, I thought I'd kill that thought of theirs by letting them know I was just fine over here. If that's okay."

"Jason, you don't need to ask that," Alex mildly scolded.

Jason nodded. "Except I do."

"Jason, I've a question."

"What's that?" he answered, very proud of himself for masking his feelings, but hating himself for it, too.

Finished, Alex shut the top drawer and set his suitcase in the closet. "Why am I here?"

"Because I asked Jack to ask you."

"Why?"

"No reason other than for sun and peace and quiet. My Christmas gift to you. Is there a problem with that or...?"

Alex frowned. "Just a few days in the sun, doing nothing? That sounds awfully... weird."

"Why? You could use the downtime before the Christmas madness at your folks' place, right?"  That last bit was an added, inspirational lie, taking advantage of useful information. Jason was hating himself even more now.

"True, I could use it, it's just...Jack made it sound like there was an ulterior motive."

"Tease, remember? And truthfully? I think he likes yanking your chain and watching you blush." Which was also true, Jason thought. Jack did that on a regular basis with _him_ , though Jason had managed to control it over time. But Alex? Oh, fresh game there. The thought made Jason grin.

"Oh," Alex replied quietly. Jack's behavior so far certainly explained that.

"Ready?" Jason asked.

"Um, no. I'll meet you over there. I told Daniel that I need to shower and change, and I really do."

"Understood, believe me," Jason said, squeezing his shoulder once more. "I'll be next door, getting messy."

"Okay," Alex replied, matching the grin.

Leaving Alex to get cleaned up, Jason made a circuit of the main building and headed for the boathouse-cum-storage shed. Inside, he found what he'd hoped. Sleeping bags. Good down-filled ones, too. And a pad. And a lamp... and the more he looked, the more gear he found. If he could get away with it, he'd sleep outside and just give the excuse that he'd fallen asleep. It would work.

Gathering up some of what he needed, he quickly made his way past the buildings, across the field that stretched for perhaps fifty yards or so. Along his left, the field stretched out a hundred yards to the cliffside. Along the right, a dozen yards or so before the sharp decline of rocky shoreline and beachfront.

There was a section near the end, where the ground jutted out at a right angle. It was made mostly of sand and short tide grasses and in a clear spot, sat an old campfire circle he'd investigated a few days earlier that was quite usable. Setting down the equipment he'd grabbed, Jason looked around, nodded to himself, and with a heavy heart, went back for the rest of the gear.

**.**

"Hey guys," Jason greeted as he walked through the kitchen doors, going for the sink to wash his hands. He could feel Daniel and Jack's eyes on him, watching him carefully from the kitchen table. When Jason turned to them, he spied the pot, the crab shells, and frowned in confusion. He looked at the stove and found it unused. Only the kitchen's center island and butcher block held the food stuffs taken out for the salad making.

"Did you buy the crab already cooked?" he asked as he went over to look in the pot.

Jack nodded. "Easier. I called ahead, asked them to cook some fresh, so it was packed up and waiting when we flew over. Slicker than snot."

"Charming phrase," Daniel grimaced.

Jason snickered and leaned over to give them both a quick kiss. "Alex should be over soon," he said, taking a seat to Daniel's left and across from Jack. He grabbed a crab from the large container on the table and set it down in front of him, copying exactly what Jack and Daniel were doing, which was stripping off the meat and tossing it in a large bowl in the center of the table. As he broke a claw shell with one of the small mallets available on the table, he saw questioning looks from his lovers. Sighing, he said, "No, I didn't ask yet."

"Why not?" Daniel asked.

"Because I want to give him a few hours of wind-down time first before springing something like that on him."

Daniel nodded with understanding, but Jack pushed the issue. "Are you even _going_ to ask?"

Jason sighed, hoping what he had thought up to say didn't sound stupid--or worse, transparent. "Yeah, but not till tonight. Get him to relax first. Even with the stress of the flight, Alex is acting pretty skittish about something and I haven't found out what. I'm not adding my issues to it till I get him to confess whatever it is."

"Ah huh," Daniel answered, tonguing his cheek. He glanced at Jack, then added, "Asking him if he wants his fantasies fulfilled is _not_ an issue, Jace."

"Daniel, don't say anything to him, okay? Leave it to me to ask."

"Damn," Jack said melodramatically. "So no sex jokes?"

"No," Jason smirked, "and no virgin jokes, either."

Daniel snorted suddenly. "Yeah, you got that right."

Jason frowned. "What?"

"Nothing... except that when I mentioned the fetish room to Alex, he knew _exactly_ what I meant."

Jason's eyes widened in surprise as he went completely still. "Are you serious?" he asked, confirming their suspicions that he didn't have a clue. Warmth suddenly spread from his balls and lower spine. Fuck, this was so unfair, he thought. At Daniel's teasing expression, he sighed. "Okay, you've had your fun. The knowledge is moot, however, if he says no when I ask him _the question_."

"If he does, then what?" Daniel asked, hoping Alex wasn't that shy, or that prudish. He hadn't come across that way, and Daniel was certain he'd read the man correctly. Otherwise, he would never have suggested the visit in the first place.

"Then nothing," Jason replied. "He'll stay as my close friend." He watched Jack take a sip from his beer. "Jack?"

"No virgin jokes, got it, but that won't stop me from making him blush."

"Jack."

"It's fun," Jack replied, not sorry in any way.

"Fine. Oh, um, I should tell you," and he affected a sheepish look that wasn't too much of a pretense. "Just in case, _just in case_ , he says no, or if for some reason I think asking him would be the worse thing to do..."

They gave him wary looks.

"It's nothing bad. I just told him that while he's here, I'll be staying with him for three days...and um, giving you two some alone-time."

Daniel and Jack frowned severely at him.

"But...we'll have that anyway after you _ask_ him, Jason," Jack stated, confused. "Unless you're not _planning_ to ask."

"I am, I am. I'm just saying in case it doesn't pan out and you wonder why I'm still over there. It's not really an excuse either because I _am_ giving you guys some time alone." Jason sighed and leaned forward, speaking in a confidential tone. "I know for a fact that most of our fantasies involve two of us, not three, so I'm giving you guys the next three days without having to worry about _me_ feeling left out. You guys do that sometimes, you know?" When they nodded with surprise, he went on. "So this time, trust me when I say that I _won't_ feel left out. I'll be fine. And you'll make me _very_ happy if you humor me by smiling and nodding that you agree."

Jack and Daniel exchanged glances, then nodded to their lover.

"You're sure?" Daniel asked, knowing damn well that Jason was hiding something.

"Positive," Jason grinned. "Only I want to hear all about it afterward."

"Deal," Jack told him as he sipped at his beer. "But," he added, "if it doesn't pan out," and underneath the table, he reached with his foot and touched Jason's shin. "Come over and sleep with us. We'll take care of you."

Jason felt the emotional warmth turning physical as his cock started to respond. He cleared his throat and gave Jack a fond but scolding look. "Bastard, stop tempting me."

Jack snickered, grinning his head off as he won another round of 'tease Jason' and his reward was to get Jason's foot pressed against his groin. He didn't mind that _at all_ but unfortunately, that sort of teasing had to stop when Alex entered and cleared his throat.

"Um, am I interrupting?"

"Don't be an ass," Jason said, letting Jack go to shove a chair out with his foot. "Sit down and join the melee."

Alex didn't have any problems with that and took the seat to Jason's left.

Dinner preparation took a few hours as they took their time, playing 'catch the fish' and tossing cooked bits at each other's mouths. Dinner was finally finished around 6 pm, and while they ate and joked and Jack teased occasionally, both he and Daniel surreptitiously watched their lover with Alex.

While conversations and occasional laughter between Jason and Alex were easy and normal, there was something not quite right. There was some underlying restlessness between them and neither Jack nor Daniel could figure out what it was. Jason had said there was something going on with Alex, but Daniel and Jack hadn't spotted anything other than nervousness when he'd first arrived and they weren't catching it now. Whatever Jason was claiming, they knew it was him, not Alex, who was having a problem. They also had a pretty good idea why, and a silent exchange said they'd compare notes after dinner... when they'd likely be alone.

As dinner came to an end, however, Daniel decided to push things and give Jason his opening to talk to Alex. He didn't really care if he pissed off his lover, either. Standing up and picking up his plate, he said, "Well, um, no offense to you, Alex, but it's time for... some Jack and Daniel privacy, so let's get you some stuff to stash in the fridge over there before Jack and I disappear."

"Oh, okay," Alex said, standing up. He'd finished his second helping of salad, saving room for the lemon dessert that Daniel had made.

Jason looked up at him, then across at Daniel, who glanced at him before turning away. He sighed, wishing Daniel wasn't so... loving. And fucking pushy.

Daniel set his plate in the sink and took out a few storage bowls from the cupboard, handing one to Alex after the man set his plate in the sink on top of Daniel's.

"Here, dish up some salad in this one," Daniel said, handing him one bowl. "I'll put the dessert in this one."

When Alex looked at him, Daniel only grinned back. He didn't say anything else but Alex had the strange feeling that he either wanted to be alone with Jack or was pushing Alex to be alone with Jason. There was a nanosecond of indulgence for that latter consideration, but Alex dismissed it and assumed the former. Working quickly, he filled the storage bowl.

As Jason and Jack cleared the table, Jack gave him a glance that said "Tell Alex." Jason ignored it. But while Alex and Daniel were busy, and Jason went to the freezer to collect a pint of ice cream, he caught Jack's eye again as the man filled one half of the sink for washing. Jack leaned toward him a little, waggling his brows, his expression clearly read. Jason knew what he meant and purposely pretended to be clueless. He smiled as he closed the freezer door, then the distance between them.

"You want something?" he asked in a low, deep voice.

"Yes," Jack said, and with a wet hand, clamped Jason's ass cheek and pulled him in for a kiss which Jason thoroughly returned, hooking his free arm around Jack's neck. With Jason busy, Jack sought out the pint of ice cream, lifted Jason's shirt, and planted it against his skin.

Jason howled and pushed away ineffectively as Jack held on, moving the pint around, bringing it to a nipple to get Jason aroused. "Fucking bastard," Jason hissed and grabbed the ice cream, set it on the counter, and kissed Jack within an inch of his... life.

Daniel and Alex watched with amusement and Daniel couldn't help but notice the aroused and envious, perhaps jealous, blush that colored Alex's cheeks. "Here," he said quietly while Jason pushed Jack against the fridge, still kissing him. "Alex?" he had to say to get his attention. Alex looked at him, startled, and cleared his throat.

"Sorry," he said quietly, taking the containers.

"No need. They work me up like that all the time. Now, remember, if you get the midnight munchies, feel free to come over here to raid the kitchen. I'll try to make sure the bedroom door's closed and that the blinds are closed. But if I somehow forget," and he winked in Jack's direction, who was just breaking free of Jason's kiss.

"Then stick cotton in your ears," Jack quipped, wiping his reddened mouth, "because I plan to make noise." He looked over his shoulder at Jason, and full of what his mother would have called 'the devil', he added, "Or if you want, Jason can come get whatever it is you're craving for while you keep the bed warm."

Jason leered back, then leaned forward, lips at Jack's ear, "I know why you did that, but giving me a hard-on won't make me ask him any sooner."

"Spoilsport," Jack replied with a smirk.

Alex wondered if Jack's innuendo-laden words meant... no, no, no, Alex was losing his mind. "Um, well, Daniel," he said, trying to forget, "Jason was right. You make one hell of a mean salad. Thanks for dinner, and um, everything. This visit's definitely what I needed. I'll get out of your way now and see if I can't stir up trouble somewhere else." There was a quick glance at Jason before he finished. "Have a good night."

"You, too, and you're welcome," Daniel replied, giving Jason a strange look that Alex couldn't interpret, before turning to Alex. "Oh, and drop over for breakfast anytime in the morning. While you're here, you may as well sleep in."

"Thanks."

"Don't forget the midnight thing," Jack said, egging it on.

"Right, thanks."

Jason rolled his eyes. "I'll be there in a minute, Alex," he called after the man as he left, then turned to Daniel and Jack. "You guys just can't keep a promise, can you?" They affected innocence no one would believe and Jason gave them each a quick kiss--purposely on the cheek--then grabbed his ice cream and smiled. "See you both in the morning." As he left their sight and passed through the living room, he called back, "No somnambulistic voyeurism is authorized."

"Jason," they called after him, Daniel being the loudest, but Jason called back in warning, "Another time, gentlemen," before he disappeared.

Daniel sighed. "Damn. Did he sound pissed off?"

"Only a little," Jack said, eyeing Daniel over his shoulder before turning back round to continue his washing and rinsing. "I think he's going to miss us."

"Yeah, me, too."  They were silent as they cleaned up, though there wasn't that much to do. Daniel put away the salad and pulled out two bowls to dish up dessert. His mind went inevitably to fulfilling fantasy. "Jason said we should fulfill fantasies between us, but I can't think of one yet, can you?"  His words faded as he paused to watch Jack's ass move in a decidedly 'come get me' fashion as he moved back and forth in front of the sink.

"Not yet," Jack answered, and when Daniel didn't say anything, he looked over his shoulder, grinning at where Daniel's sightline was aimed. "What's on your mind there, as if I can't guess?"

Daniel cleared his throat and gave Jack a very nasty look. "Oh, just trying to think up something wicked for tonight. I've just had an _inkling_ of an idea but I need some help."

"Is that so?" Jack asked, his cheek creasing with the grin that followed the question.

"How about you tell me a story?" Daniel asked as he moved in and nuzzled the back of his ear.

"Any preferences?" Jack asked, shivering, and grateful that the dishes were finished.

"Something dark, dangerous, that will inevitably lead us to the usual happy ending via biting and sucking and general mayhem."

"That narrows it a little," Jack murmured, and took a paper towel from the dispenser to dry his hands. Turning round, he leaned against the counter and looked Daniel over. "Narrow it further."

Daniel laid his hands on Jack's hips, gazing into the sexy, smoldering, fucking _hot_ brown eyes. "How about something _slightly_ familiar? Relive a past event, perhaps. Or perhaps," he added, mind rapidly flipping through the file system of memories, and he smiled mischievously, "we go back, relive a past event, only change something."

"Change something?" Jack asked as he took in Daniel's face and the darkening blue eyes. Eyes empty of his eyeglasses... and the bulb in the corner of Jack's mind where he kept his porn-fed imagination clicked on. Daniel, without glasses. There were a few missions where he hadn't worn them and while Jack may not have the idea yet, his dick certainly did. "As in do something we hadn't done before but wished we had?"

Daniel smiled seductively, feeling them both harden and couldn't wait to find out what Jack came up with. "That's the idea."

**.**

Returning to the bungalow through the back door, Jason paused in the dining room. Alex had found the stereo in the left corner of the living room and was playing one of his CDs. Shit. The rhythmic, angsty, sexy one.

He stashed the ice cream in the freezer and hesitated a step before entering the bedroom. "I hope you're not getting into trouble," he said just as he entered. The comment was given too late. Alex was looking through the chiffonier.  "So, want to watch a movie or three?" he asked quickly, but too late.

Alex opened the top drawer below the wardrobe as Jason's words left his mouth and stared disbelievingly before he put on a huge grin and pulled out one of the single pairs of padded cuffs. "These yours?" he asked in that mocking, teasing voice. He waved at the contents above in the smaller shelves and the wardrobe side. "Nice stuff."

The backs of Jason's knees went all tingly, the sensation rapidly crawling upward.

First of all, Alex had unbuttoned that dark grey-lavender button-down shirt he'd been wearing with his white shorts. Unbuttoned it completely so it hung open in a torturously delightful way, exposing _miles_ of creamy golden skin and that line of blond hair that ran in a straight line from his navel downward, like a fucking beacon or something.

Second of all...he was holding _restraints_.  Jason took a deep breath, thanking his _re-_ found control that his voice didn't waver and thanking his ancestors that his control allowed him to actually _think_. "No, left my stuff at home. But Stef's things are quite useful." He made damn sure he didn't see Alex's reaction to that as he went straight for the entertainment console on the other side of the bed, to the left of the deck doors, and opened up the cabinet that enclosed the flat-screen TV. "So, asking again, since you're a little pre-occupied, want to watch a movie?"

"Yeah, sure," he heard Alex say. Jason also heard the drawer shut and felt him walk over. "What've we got?" and he squatted down next to him, _below him_ , opening up the storage cabinet below the TV. When Alex looked up, Jason fought off the urge to swallow and squatted next to him.

"Well, I haven't looked in this one, so let's see."

"Wow," Alex said, flipping through the dozens of DVDs.

"Yeah, lots of them. Choose whatever you want, I'm not picky."

Jason straightened and backed up several steps. Alex smelled _good_. Fuck. Couldn't he have left that stuff Cari gave him at home? He wondered why it hadn't bothered him at dinner, even though he'd smelled it then. Perhaps because he hadn't been this _close_ and realized he was going to _be_ this close for most of the evening. He had to get a grip... er, handle... um, under control.

Jason wanted to groan. Everything was fucking innuendo-time in his head. He turned and his eyes fell to the bed, and for the first time, wished like mad that the TV was in a reasonable place--like the goddamned _living room_ , so he could sit at one end of the couch and Alex could sit at the other and everything would be fucking fine.

Taking a deep, cautious breath, he moved over and fluffed up the large, soft, oversized pillows and set them against the headboard... separate and apart. Clearing his throat, he said, "If uh, you don't see anything you want to watch, there's Sat TV."

"No, I've found a few. Have you seen _Kill Bill Volume 1_? I forgot," Alex asked, turning on a heel, still crouching.

Jason nodded. "But we can watch it, so I don't mind. _Volume 2_ should be on Satellite if Stef doesn't have it in there."

"It's here, still in plastic wrap. Will he get pissed if it's opened?"

Jason shook his head. "He told Jack that whatever isn't locked up, we're free to use as long as we're respectful with it all, which is common sense, you know?"

Alex nodded. "It's really nice of him to let Jack use this place," he said, turning on the TV and DVD player and grabbing the remote. "Has he known him long?"

Finally, Jason thought as he arranged himself on the bed. A safe subject.

Alex joined him on the bed, leaning back against the pillows he'd strategically arranged, and Jason found himself relaxing a little more. Their time together would be okay as long as he didn't let himself get too comfortable. With the freedom Daniel and Jack had given him, it would be so goddamned easy to just reach over and--

"Jason?"

"Hmm?" Jason said, startled out of his thoughts, silently beating the shit out of his brain. "Sorry."

Alex sat up and crossed his legs, turning himself slightly to face Jason. "You're dwelling on the dreams, aren't you?"

For once, Jason was glad Alex missed the mark; it gave him the opening. "Um--"

"Look, if you're going to dwell, we're going to talk." The movie was still on _menu_ so he didn't have to place it on pause.

Jason cleared his throat again. "No, no need, really, let's just move on--"

Alex reached out and placed his fingers over Jason's mouth and Jason had to close his eyes and clamp down on the surprisingly ridiculous urge to bite and lick and suck.

"Fine, then stop zoning or you get drilled," Alex told him, taking his hand away.

Jason let himself groan aloud as he wished Alex hadn't used _that_ particular phrase. "Okay, sorry," he managed.

Alex was about to press play when he looked around. "Um, we need munchies, something to drink."

Jason nodded. "Stuff's in the fridge. I'll--"

"No, I'll grab it, what do you want?" and he climbed _over_ Jason in order to get off the bed.

After Alex disappeared through the doorway, Jason pinched the bridge of his nose in an affectation picked up from Daniel and ordered his heart to calm down. He then told himself that Alex was behaving normally, that Alex did this sort of nonsense in their tent offworld all the goddamned time and there was _nothing_ whatsoever flirty about it. But it was a lie.

What Alex had just done _was_ flirty. He was taking advantage of the situation and while that should have been a cue for Jason to go ahead and take the risk and _ask_ , he couldn't. He also couldn't blame Alex one bit for his flirtatious behavior but goddamn it. Jason was almost certain at that point that the either the flirting would get worse or the innuendo would.

"What do you want?" Alex called from the kitchen.

With a sigh, Jason slid off the bed and followed. It was going to be a long evening.

**.**

Jack made a noise in his throat as he thought it over, tracing a line with his fingertip from the hollow of Daniel's throat down to his shirt. As his finger pulled at the low collar of the tank top, his movement froze when the idea came to him.

It was sudden, out of nowhere, and he'd never have purposely thought of it in a million years. Not _that_ mission. Not consciously, which explained where the idea came from, and the fact that his subconscious wanted to _go there_ was remarkably disturbing. Yet... somehow, very right. Cathartic fantasy. There was a new one.

Daniel watched him, knowing Jack had thought of something by the expression on his face, but there was something else. Hesitation, and that meant the memory in question wasn't particularly great. "You've thought of something."

Jack's eyes slowly lifted to his. "Yes, I've thought of something."

"It doesn't look like a fond memory. Why choose it?" he asked carefully.

"It's... role play."

Daniel's browline went up. "Role play?"

"Literally."

Daniel was too curious to dismiss it out of hand. "Okay."

When he started to take a step back, Jack stopped him with a hand on his hip. "Hold on." He leaned in, bringing his lips just close enough to Daniel's that he could feel his breath, then moved away like a tease. Daniel made a little growling noise, which faded when Jack began looking through cupboards, upper and lower.

"Jack?" he asked.

"Supplies," Jack answered with a grin that was definitely not _nice_. It sent a shiver down Daniel's spine.

"Can I help?"

"Nope."

Jack found what he needed and Daniel's eyes widened in alarm. A small can of butter-flavored Crisco. He told himself it wasn't for anything other than fucking, but he didn't believe it completely.

"For something we've done before, right?"

Jack breathed a short laugh. "Yes."

Relieved, though he wasn't sure if he should be, Daniel watched Jack retrieve a hurricane lamp from a bottom storage cupboard where Stef kept his emergency supplies.

"Okay, bedroom," Jack told him, giving him one of _those_ looks and Daniel followed, once more getting a nice view of his lover's moving ass.

Jack lit the lamp and set it on the floor just outside the door, then strode to the small closet behind the bathroom door and retrieved three large, quarter-folded towels. Moving to the center of the room, Jack set the Crisco on the carpet and laid the towels down next to it, unfolded but piled together.

Stepping back and surveying the work, Jack nodded to himself, then moved to the chiffonier, searching the left-hand side of the upper section. He found a dark yellow pillar candle, nicely used and roughly five inches high. Taking the matches next to it, he lit it and carried it back to the setting in the middle of the room, looking around first, then placing it on the carpet three feet to the left of the Crisco.

Nodding at his handiwork, Jack paused and looked at Daniel, his gaze rather like a man sizing up a prized steer.

It made Daniel's ass clench. He wanted to ask, but knew it was more exciting not to and simply followed Jack with his eyes as his lover crossed the room and shut off the lights.

"Lie down, face up, on the towels, clothes on." Since Daniel was barefoot there was no need to tell him to take his shoes off.

Daniel felt his skin tingle with anticipation as he laid down on the towels, elbows propping him up, bending his knees. Looking up at Jack, he moved his feet apart more, like an offering. Jack simply stood there looking at him, _staring_.

"You're in the small, dirty room again," Jack began. "The one with the thin mattress and one candle burning for light. The doorway is covered by a burnt-looking ragged bit of cloth that barely covers the requirement for privacy. You're wearing your dirty rough-woven clothing and you lie down on the mattress and get ready." He stepped closer, staring at Daniel as he lay there, _clothed_. "You don't strip all the way, leaving your tunic on."

Daniel pushed off his shorts quickly and tossed them out of sight.

"You think I would like you this way and you'd be right," Jack went on, his eyes sparkling with lust, "but we never got the chance to find out. This room is for jerking off without being watched... but I can _see_ through the shit-excuse for a curtain and I've waited to watch you. You've avoided this place. Till now. And now is when I've decided to act."

"Jack," Daniel whispered, palming his groin, rubbing his firming cock.

"My name's not Jack," his lover told him, and Daniel inhaled a short, surprised gasp.

He knew where he was and his dick hardened instantly. The reason for the Crisco became clear. They hadn't had any access to oil down there. Down _here_. Only an oily, fuel-smelling paste. Like Crisco.

"Hand on your cock," Jack told him. "Jerk off for me."

Daniel was already there, his fingers wrapped around his cock, and he began to stroke himself slowly, eyes on Jack, feeling that tingling shiver down his spine as Jack watched.

"I've been watching you for weeks," Jack went on, voice just barely above a whisper. "At first I didn't like you because I couldn't trust you. You were an unknown and I didn't know what to make of you, whether you were friend or foe, what your game was, if you had one. But even when I wasn't sure, even though I didn't trust you and you didn't trust me, I knew _exactly_ what I _wanted_ from you. Liking each other was not a requirement then." He paused as he knelt at Daniel's feet, inching his way between them, and Daniel spread his legs to accommodate, breath hitching when Jack stroked his inner thigh just below the jagged, worn hem of his shorts, thumbnail digging in, scratching his skin. "Liking each other isn't a requirement now, either."

Daniel's eyes narrowed suddenly, heat and want reflecting from them as he took on the persona he still remembered well. "No, it isn't."

"You've stayed away from this room, but the last three nights, you've been coming in here, as if you can't stay away anymore. I can't stay away, either, lying on my bunk each night and watching you come in here, doing that alone," and he leaned over, eyes on Daniel's. "I've been wanting to do this since you arrived," and he pushed up Daniel's shirt with both hands as if taking it off, but he bunched it up and pushed it behind his neck, leaving it there. He moved quickly, his mouth zeroing in, and found the small pink nubs, pebbled and hard, and gave them each a sucking, biting, kiss, before going back to the first and pulling it taut, worrying it between his teeth.

Daniel hissed, fingers clutching tightly through his lover's hair.  "Jack."

Jack bit harder. "I told you. That is not my name, no matter what that whacked guy said."

Daniel felt the lust fill him at the words and his cock spilled pre-come down the side. He breathed his lover's name with intense need just before he closed his eyes and groaned loudly while his other nipple was bitten and worried between sharp, skillful teeth.

" _Jonah_."

"Yes, _Carlin_ , that's my name. Say it again."

"Jonah."

 _Jonah_ smiled and moved on, pushing _Carlin's_ hand off his cock, replacing it with his own. He moved from the now-wet, hard nipples and licked a trail down his stomach and abdomen. "God, you taste good," he whispered, and dove his tongue into the navel, digging, loving the way he made Carlin jerk his hips upward. He laved at the dark trail of hair from his partner's navel to his pubic hair, skirting his cock for only a second before taking half inside his mouth, bobbing twice, and pulling off like a dreadful tease. Carlin complained with a groan and Jonah purposely grazed his teeth over an inner thigh, telling him, "You love it."

"Yes, fuck, yes."

Jonah smiled in satisfaction before he took Carlin's balls into his mouth, sucking hard and rough, making his partner twitch and jerk and moan. Letting them go, he ignored the groan his partner made and slid his stiffened tongue down to the sensitive skin between Carlin's sac and the tight, puckered hole. Jonah pressed hard, busily circling, pushing, the saliva from his mouth dripping down over the beginning curve of Carlin's ass. Jonah used it, wetting his fingers well, sliding two over his sphincter. "Feel good?" he asked huskily, tongue continuing its trajectory toward its intended target.

Carlin threaded his fingers through Jonah's hair, raising his knees as high and wide apart as he could. "God, yes," he said.

"Better than jerking off, isn't it?" Jonah asked suggestively right before the tip of his tongue flicked over the muscle.

"Yes," Carlin breathed. "Better. Get on with it."

Jonah tongued him, teased him, enjoying the way Carlin moved under him. Soon now.

"...much better," Carlin told him, biting his lip and moaning as Jonah's tongue circled his ring, teasing at pushing inside, before he actually did it. Carlin arched, panting, as that marvelous tongue fucked him excruciatingly slow. In. And. Out. Shallow plunges driving him insane, making him writhe.

Jonah would have loved to have stayed there, teasing him, but he had plans for that cock and went after it like a man on a mission.

He wasn't careful. He wasn't nice. He wanted this man, even though he considered him practically an enemy. He loved the sounds he forced out of Carlin as he swiftly moved up, taking his cock into his mouth, moving down to the base. He drew back slowly, sucking in, tongue reaching for the head, digging hard, drawing circles, sucking up the pre-come.

Carlin needed this. God, yes. He didn't give a shit about anyone or anything but this, his hands never leaving Jonah's skin or hair. He loved scratching him, at his shoulders, pulling at his hair. It was rough and sometimes vicious and he didn't fucking care. He wanted his pleasure and from this man specifically. His hands moved like a skilled carpenter. Slapping, planing, guiding, and all the while, his gorgeous bastard of a lover played him back with deft skill.

"No," Carlin growled in shock when Jonah moved off him, sliding back _between_ his legs, pushing his thighs further apart. "Don't stop."

"I like it when you beg," Jonah told him smugly. "I watched you jerk off yesterday, saw you with your fingers... here," and he slid his right index and middle fingers down to Carlin's sphincter, rubbing like a tease while his left hand impatiently grabbed the Crisco, tearing the lid off and gouging out a small handful. Spreading some in his right hand, he coated Carlin's cock as he stared down at him, purposely teasing him with his eyes as he spread it down over his balls. He avoided his hole and quickly resuming pumping his shaft, using the twisting, upward strokes in the same rough, brutal fashion... except now, he moved faster.

Distracting Carlin from his main purpose, Jonah moved his fingers, thick with the remaining Crisco, and pushed against his tight hole.

"Jonah!" Carlin yelled with surprised lust, nearly coming when Jonah stabbed inside him, moving with deep precision. He raised his head to watch, his knees held higher, begging, "Yes, Jonah, please," with erratic breaths. He opened to Jonah's fingers eagerly, rocking up against his hand as his muscles were worked loose.

"You've been wanting this," Jonah told him.

"Yes, since I saw you."

"And now you have me, Carlin," Jonah told him, replacing one finger with two.

Carlin let out a harsh gasp, panting threadily as Jonah fucked him, readied him. "Bastard."

Jonah smiled and removed his fingers. His cock was straining as he got off on the scene they were playing out. "I'm going to fuck you so hard."

"Yes, do it now," Carlin demanded and closed his eyes, feeling the powerful heat of the place and how that tattered curtain over the door let people see past it. Jonah rested his weight over the backs of his thighs and Carlin raised his knees higher, feet riding his lover's lower back. Yes. _Jonah_.

There was the touch of the hot, blunt head of Jonah's cock over his hole, then the man was pushing without hesitation... or care. "Yes!" Carlin cried, grunting loudly as his fingernails scratched over Jonah's back as his ass was stretched and filled.

"Yeah, you want this, don't you?" Jonah growled, his mouth suddenly at his chin, biting and licking as he worked his hips.

"Fuck yes, Jonah, fuck yes," and Carlin scraped his nails over his ass. The sharp pain made Jonah let out a roar and he thrust brutally, dragging his teeth over Carlin's Adam's apple, biting down, sucking hard. "Have to do you quick," he growled, hips slamming into him, "before they catch us."

"Fuck that!" Carlin gasped, pushing Jonah off him, out of him, scrambling to his knees. Jonah grabbed him by the back of the hair, kissing him deeply, hungrily, before Carlin slipped from his grasp, pushing him away.

"Think you want this fast?" he asked, voice husky and raw. "I dare you to risk it all," and took his own nipples between his fingers, twisting, pulling, writhing before him like a seductive whore. Jonah growled at him and took Carlin's cock in his hand, pumping him slowly, his free hand rolling and kneading his balls. "Yes," Carlin growled between clenched teeth. "You want my ass badly, don't you? Want to fuck me, deep and hard and so fucking _slow_?"

"Bastard," Jonah cursed, dropping down on him, grinding their cocks together, kissing him passionately, biting at his lips, his jaw.

Carlin started to laugh and pushed him away, forcing Jonah back on his heels. He started to jerk off in front of him, fingers sliding into his ass. "Watch me, you bastard," he breathed, dropping his head back, eyes focused on Jonah, moving rhythmically as he pleasured himself. "So long I wanted you. So fucking long, and you think I want this quick?" He suddenly rolled over, fingers still in his ass, hand still on his cock, and he spread his legs invitingly. "Fuck me, Jonah," he said between grunts and pants. "I dare you."

Jonah breathed hard, amazed at the sight before him, and at Carlin's last words, he scooped more paste from the tub of lube and slapped Carlin's fingers from his ass. "Fucking pricktease. You're gonna scream." Smearing him liberally, sloppily, he dropped on top of him, pinning him to the ground with his weight, and slid his cock inside with one stroke. Carlin grunted beneath him as he slowly pumped his hips, fucking him forever. Slowly.

Carlin relaxed into the body over him, accepting him, loving the feel of Jonah's cock sliding slowly in and out of him. Underneath, his hand could do nothing more than squeeze the head of his cock, and that soon became enough and too much. He tried to meet the thrusts inside him, tried to speed the man up, but Jonah kept him down, pinned, held there forever by slow fucks that lasted too long--and like his hand, weren't enough. He loved it, though. Loved it all. It was what he'd wanted since seeing Jonah for the first time.

Jonah was suddenly lifting up, one hand on his shoulder, the other alarming Carlin by grabbing him by the hair. But Carlin said nothing because Jonah was pistoning into him; it was rough and good, so fucking good. And it was _fast_. Yes. His orgasm took Carlin by surprise when his balls abruptly drew up. The throaty groans he'd been making became one long guttural scream as Carlin yelled something inarticulate. He was coming so hard he couldn't see a goddamn thing, and Jonah kept plunging into him, refusing to quit, force like a battering ram. Fuck yes.

Above him, _Jack_ was yelling his name as his orgasm ripped from him as suddenly as it had from _Daniel_. He could feel it the way Jack's body shook, the way he sounded when he yelled. He clenched, holding him inside him, giving him that little bit more, and Jack gasped against his neck and rolled them sideways, pulling his cock free before enclosing him in his arms and legs.

Daniel smiled as he felt Jack snuffling him, kissing his hair, mumbling something he couldn't make out. When he turned his head to kiss him, Daniel felt something wet. Startled and alarmed for an entirely different reason, he turned round in Jack's arms, looking at his flushed face. He couldn't tell from the expression if he was sad or mad or happy. Daniel brushed the two wet streaks with his thumb, his hand shaking.

Jack took it and kissed his palm. "Shhhh. It's okay, Daniel."

"What's the matter?" he asked, kissing him.

Jack smiled and kissed him back, laughed, sniffing back with embarrassment. "Nothing. Just healing old wounds, Daniel. I've felt like shit about that place ever since we'd been there. I don't have to anymore."

"God, Jack," Daniel whispered, not needing to say anything else.

"Wasn't too rough was I?"

"I loved it," Daniel answered quietly, nuzzling his cheek, kissing him again, soothing him, holding him, till both their bodies calmed.

**.**

Jason had tried. It was on the tip of his tongue twice to make a break for it, to get out of there before he did something tremendously stupid. But he was enjoying Alex's company, cracking up at the blatant innuendo and letting Alex flirt however he wanted. So far, it seemed that Alex was doing it because he didn't think it could go anywhere. There was a safety net in there somewhere.

Right now, that net was precarious. Jason was letting Alex get away with whatever he wanted because if he left now, he'd raise suspicion. Alex was on Colorado time, his body thinking it was 3 am instead of 11 pm... except the man was strangely energized and _awake_ , damn him.

It was annoying. Jason kept waiting for him to drop off to sleep, but it wasn't happening. They'd finished their third film and Alex wanted to watch more. So much for getting any sleep, even if Jason was enjoying himself. But it was only a matter of time before he slipped up.

"Hey, is there more popcorn next door?" Alex asked as he dropped The Matrix disc into the DVD.

"Should be," Jason groaned, rolling off the bed before Alex could roll over him again.

"Cool, I'll go get some," Alex said as he left, knowing damn well that he wasn't hungry. He had to convince himself that he really was hungry so he could ignore the fact that he was sublimating for his mouth and hands not having anything... _better_ to do. "You want anything?"

"No, thanks. While you're doing that, I think I'll grab the ice cream I brought over."

After Alex left, Jason entered the kitchen and grabbed the pint of ice cream. He leaned against the counter and spooned some into his mouth, shaking his head at himself. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked himself out loud. The answer was: He had no idea.

**.**

Jack and Daniel were laughing about something as Alex neared the building and he couldn't help but feel wistful. They were so lucky, just as Jason was lucky to have them. The laughter was a little loud and a lot loving, filled with what sounded like teasing. Sort of like himself and Jason. Only not.

He was relieved to find that the blinds to the windows and deck doors were closed so they didn't see him as he passed and they wouldn't see him on the way back. All he had to do was make sure he was quiet. Slipping through the kitchen doors, he made a search, found the popcorn, and left as quietly as he'd come in.

Walking back down the deck, he was glad it was in such good shape and made no noise. He didn't want to interrupt them with a badly timed squeaky board. Talk about embarrassing. Not to mention the fact that they'd see what he'd been up to. His half-hard state and his unbuttoned shirt. It was just harmless flirtation, and he still couldn't explain to himself why he'd _needed_ to do that. He simply had to, consequences be damned. Until now. They'd think something was going on and god, he couldn't create any suspicions. That was the last thing he needed, or Jason for that matter.

Alex gingerly padded past the bedroom's doors when Daniel said something that forced him to come to a halt and slowly turn on his heel.

"Jack, did you buy that crap Jason was telling us about Alex?"

"Nope, not a word. He's backing out, I think."

 _Backing out on what?_ Alex asked himself.

"I think he's just not willing to risk him getting hurt," Jack was saying.

_Risk what?_

"If he'd just ask him, I think he'd find out that Alex wouldn't mind. At least, I don't think he would, but then, I could be full of shit."

"I don't think you are. I've seen the way he looks at him, even now."

"It's not like it's a bad suggestion. Asking him if he wants to fulfill any fantasies is not some crime of the century. Alex is smart enough to know that he can't demand more later on than Jason can give him. Shit, I wish I'd never thought of this idea. All it's done is make Jason feel guilty for wanting to give something to the man. I know he loves him, just not..."

Alex didn't hear the rest. He felt dizzy and was already backing away, moving toward the end of the deck. He stumbled, nearly fell, and walked back to the other bungalow in a haze of shock.

**.**

"We were right," Daniel said, peeking through the window blinds.

Jack pressed in behind him and nuzzled his neck, kissing his hair. "It'll be fine."

Daniel turned round in his arms. "I can't believe he hasn't asked him."

"It's what we were afraid of. He's changed his mind, for whatever reason. We've left it in Alex's hands so now it's up to him. If the man knows what's good for him, he won't go ballistic. He'll just grab Jason and..." Jack gestured. He couldn't say it without wanting to go _see_ it, and Daniel grinned knowingly, pulling Jack back to the bed.

"Maybe we should pop in for a visit in the morning," Daniel suggested with a fiendish grin.

"And send Alex under the bed?" Jack asked, surprised. "God, Daniel, you're evil."

Daniel gave him a mildly sheepish look. "I'm just doing _you_ a favor is all."

Jack twisted his lips, trying not to grin, and failing. "How'd you figure?"

"You just _love_ to see him blush. I don't blame you. It's cute."

"Rather like you used to be, and sometimes still are," Jack said, his own mischievousness reflecting in his eyes.

Daniel gave him a warning glance, but the glance turned erotic, seductive... filled with lust.

"What're you thinking?"

"Not thinking so much as hoping."

"For?"

"Catching them."

"Oh yeah?" Jack said with growing interest. "Show me what you're hoping to see."

"I don't know if I can. I still feel like Dax and Worf."

"Oh yeah, but it was _good_."

"You bet my sore ass, it was. C'mere."

**.**

Jason leaned against the counter next to the microwave and moaned around the ice cream in his mouth. He loved fudge ice cream, especially with brownies mixed in. He really should have had Alex grab another pint because this one was _gone_. Taking the last bite, he caught movement and leaned over to look as he dropped the container in the garbage, spoon still in his mouth.

Their kitchen wasn't anywhere near as large as the one in the main bungalow, but like it, it was built with an open-walled plan and the counter across from him connected to a long breakfast bar through which he could see the living room, and beyond that, the front door. The only light sources came from the bedroom, the night light over the sink behind him, and the moon outside. It was at a perfect angle in the sky, too, shining through the front doors and windows and casting long shadows across the floor. It also illuminated Alex like a silhouette as he crossed the threshold, looking distractedly over his shoulder.

Jason sucked off the last flavor of ice cream from the spoon and tossed it in the sink. Crossing the living room, he stopped at the bedroom door, smirking because Alex hadn't even noticed him. "Don't tell me they heard you," he asked, and his grin grew when Alex turned and froze in place. "Haven't I taught you well enough to sneak _quietly_?"

Alex cleared his throat, feeling more than a little dazed, confused, and downright aroused. "Yeah, you taught me. I just overheard something, that's all."

Jason nodded. "Ah huh." He went into the bedroom, grabbed the chips on the floor and crawled onto the bed. Damn he was hungry. "Don't tell me, let me guess," he called out. "You heard something rather... athletic going on?" Just the thought made Jason's stomach flutter and heat spread everywhere. He wanted to leave Alex alone and join his lovers.

"No, not exactly," Alex called back, and without thinking, entered the kitchen, tossed the package in the microwave and hit the popcorn setting. Hitting 'start', he waited the three minutes ten seconds it was supposed to take and that time seemed awfully short. He had to come up with something to say, but _what_?

All he could think of was showing Jason his answer and make Jason ask him the question. He was trying to figure exactly how to do that and still manage not to look like a dork when the microwave beeped. Sighing, he grabbed a corner, careful of the steam, and headed back to the bedroom. He paused for a moment as he neared the bed, staring at Jason, and any pretense he had that he could maintain control of himself was eroding away fast.

"What?" Jason asked.

"Uh, hand me the popcorn bowl, wouldja?"

Jason grabbed the large plastic bowl Alex had left in his place on the bed and rolled to his right, handing it to him. "You could've just gone around, you know," Jason said, stating the obvious for him.

Alex grimaced. "Yeah, well, too late," he said, knowing it didn't make sense, and shook his head as he moved around the bed.

Jason couldn't resist a once-over, even though the small voice in his head told him to knock it off. For some reason, Alex was blushing a bit, and combining that with his open shirt and those _nicely_ fitted shorts that accentuated his ass, he was gorgeous. Jason took a chance to admire and looked down just as Alex was turning round, having emptied the package into the bowl. All thoughts died as he found himself staring at the obvious outline of an erection. Jason slowly looked up at him and Alex was pointedly _not_ looking at him as he knelt on the bed, eating a few pieces while gingerly moving to sit down.

He may have _heard_ something but Jason suddenly thought Alex may have _seen_ something better. The man was very preoccupied but he wasn't unaware of him or why else would he be blushing? It was definite then. He'd seen Jack and Daniel doing something. Probably heard it and looked through the window, unless those rascals left the blinds open, which was even more likely.

Jason started to grin, wistful though it was. Whatever it had been heightened his wish to be with his lovers. He couldn't blame his own growing erection solely on wanting them because Alex was part of it, and there was no use in denying that.

Jason cleared his throat. "S'okay, you know. They work me up like that on a regular basis."

"It's not that," Alex murmured as he tried to focus on the muted commercial the TV was playing, his thoughts loud in his ears. He was hyperaware of Jason's presence, his physical closeness, his musky odor. Jason hadn't showered after his afternoon exercise and anyone else probably would have smelled bad. Alex wished it were so with Jason, but no, the man just _had_ to smell good. The circumstances had to make sure of it, of course, considering what he now knew. Wild, wishful thoughts of a shower with his friend whipped through Alex's mind like a storm.

"What'd they do then? Don't tell me they saw you watching?" Jason asked, reaching over to grab some popcorn.

"No," Alex said, eyes wide. "I didn't see them, I wouldn't..."  Alex wanted to move the bowl between them as a safety measure, but he couldn't. The longer he sat here, the more chance there was that he'd make the move before he was ready and reaching close to Jason for any reason would cut down those odds.

"Alex, if you didn't see something, what did you hear?" Something was definitely wrong, Jason thought. It had Alex spooked. What the hell had he heard?

"Nothing. Tired maybe, I dunno."

Alex was screaming at himself to say it but he couldn't. He was just as chicken as Jason. If Jason had decided not to say anything, why should he? His rebellious side answered the question. Because this involved him and Jason should have said something if he respected him half as much as Alex knew he did.

"Okay, Alex, it's probably time for bed," Jason said and grabbed the lip of the bowl.

Alex resisted, pulling back, as he finally looked at him, eyes wide again. "What?"

Jason's gut clenched and inside, he ached with the realization that his decision in not saying anything had been the correct one. Alex was clearly alarmed by the suggestiveness of his words.  "Don't panic, Alex. I _meant_ that you're exhausted. It's been a long day for you."

Alex stared down at the popcorn. Even if Jason _sounded_ the same, it was quite apparent now that he'd been keeping himself distant the entire evening. They may have been next to each other all evening, watching movies, laughing, joking, but Jason may as well have been next door for all that he was actually _with_ him. And the way Alex had flirted with him, safe as that had been, had only made it worse, hadn't it? It pained Alex to think he'd been that unaware, but he really couldn't have been anything else. He hadn't _known_ then.

But he did now, dammit. Setting the bowl on the right bedside table, he rolled onto his knees and sat back on his heels, facing the man. He took a deep breath, telling himself it was now or never, and reached out, taking Jason's nearest hand. "Sit up, face me."

Jason gave Alex a confused frown and wanted to resist... even though he let Alex pull him to his knees. "Okay, Alex, something's wrong. What--"

"Nothing's wrong, just..." and Alex knelt before him, pulling them closer together.

Jason couldn't allow that, no matter what was wrong, and sat back, staring. He looked down at their hands still clasped together then froze as Alex moved his hand up Jason's arm in a decidedly suggestive manner. Chills sped through Jason's body, making his skin pebble and his heart race. He opened his mouth to say something to dissuade but Alex cut him off before he had a chance.

"Now do me a huge favor and don't get mad at them. It wasn't their fault."

The frown of confusion deepened and he started to ask, "What the hell are...you..." until Alex started inching closer to him on his knees. Dread filled him. Alex had heard them talking. And judging by what he'd said... "Oh no."

"Don't be mad," Alex told him again as moved up on his knees, yanking Jason to his. Jason's eyes widened as he felt Alex's other hand reach around his waist to the small of his back.

"Oh shit, you--"

"Heard, yes, I did. I'm not mad, Jason. Just disappointed that you never asked."

Jason blinked. "Excuse me?"

Alex pressed close and Jason could feel his erection through his shorts. He closed his eyes and admitted his failure. "No, I can't. You don't know what--"

"Fuck that," Alex said, and Jason opened his eyes to see anger there.

"I thought you said you weren't mad?"

"Not about the reason for inviting me here," he said emphatically. "My god, Jason. Don't you know that what you're doing in backing out isn't just hurting yourself, but Daniel, too?"

"No, it's my decision, my--"

"It was his idea, from what I heard. In backing out, you're making him feel bad for thinking up the idea in the first place, and then there's Jack to consider. I can't allow you to do this to yourself or them. Or me."

"But..." Jason had no idea what the hell to say. Alex _was_ aroused, and god, he smelled good, and--

"It was surprising to hear them, you know. Maybe a little embarrassing, but it's okay."

"The hell it is," Jason growled at him. He felt as if all the blood in his body had headed south for the winter. "They knew you were there," and he tried to push away but Alex wouldn't let him. "Dammit, don't you get it?"

"What did I tell you? Don't you dare blame them," Alex told him fiercely. "On purpose or not, it _doesn't_ matter. I know the truth and you should have been honest with me. And you apparently weren't listening to what I just said."

"Again, don't _you_ get it? You weren't supposed to know!"

"I get it, now shut the fuck up and listen to me, 'cause I wasn't finished."

"Fine," Jason said, his voice cool.

"Don't you _dare_ get mad at me. I'm the one who's pissed off, and only because you never told me why I'm really here. You never asked. To put the cart before the horse, Jason, the answer is _yes_. All I need for you to do is _ask_ the fucking question."

Jason was speechless. He couldn't lie about his feelings. Alex was too close, knew how hard he was now. It was difficult enough trying to think, what with the man holding him like he was, with their hips together, bellies touching. There might not be any movement but goddamn, Jason could really feel him. He had to be rational about this, no matter what he was feeling or...how distracting Alex was becoming, damn him.

"I can't hurt you, Alex," Jason heard himself saying. "I just can't. It might have been a good idea while I was thinking with my dick but then my heart suddenly threw reality in my face and I couldn't stand the thought of you taking this wrong, or worse yet, thinking of having an... _us_...when we went back home after the holidays. I can't do that to you. It's fucking cruel."

Alex didn't let him go or pull away, and Jason could see he also didn't agree with him. He was scowling and Jason couldn't help feeling surprised. And weirdly proud.

"Well that's nicely insulting."

"Alex, listen to me--"

"No, you listen. How stupid do you think I am? How gullible? How innocent and childish? I'm not a fucking teenager here. Did it _ever_ occur to you, my handsome, aggravating, pig-headed friend that I'm an honest-to-goodness real life grown man," and he thrust for emphasis on the _grown_ part, "who _can_ make his own decisions and live with the consequences of his actions?"

Jason inhaled sharply, stifling a groan as he felt a very odd mixture of arousal and self-reproach. He opened his mouth to try and explain but Alex leaned in and gave him a firm closed-mouth kiss that could hardly be interpreted as chaste. Jason couldn't react, telling himself that even though he understood and accepted what Alex had just said, and felt a bit relieved by it, he couldn't find the courage to let actually _let go_.

Alex's hand had traveled from his arm to the back of his head, holding him, and the hand on his back was touching him... touching his ass. Jason felt himself weakening.

"Kiss me back, Jason," Alex murmured against his lips, his tongue tasting him, teasing him, before he kissed him harder and pulled back. "Jason, kiss me back."

Jason's resolve was, well, dissolving. "Are you trying to seduce me?" he couldn't stop himself from asking breathlessly.

"It appears I have to," Alex replied, squeezing his ass.

Jason unconsciously let loose a moan as his hands finally found their way to Alex's waist.

"Yes," Alex breathed, tongue sliding between his parted lips, teasing. "Touch me, kiss me back, let me have this," and he kissed him hard once more, moaning when Jason gave in and opened his mouth, giving Alex whatever he wanted.

Alex felt nothing but hard muscle beneath his hands and his excitement increased, deepening his kiss to feel more of the warm lips and wet tongue.

Jason's stomach and belly _ached_. Lust filled him as Alex literally _took_ his mouth and pushed him onto his back, his body covering him. Jesus fucking Christ, he felt good. Jason wrapped his arms and legs around him and rolled them over, kissing Alex into the mattress, his need screaming for more when he made him moan loud.

Alex was showing him his _want_ , his strength, and it all went straight to Jason's cock and sent up smoke signals. He moaned back, wrestling with his tongue, and suddenly wondered why this felt new, making him hungry for more. It should feel familiar, comfortable almost shouldn't it? Hell, he'd kissed the man four times before so why didn't he feel familiar?

The first time really didn't count, no tongue had been involved. No spark, either, and Jason was wondering why, considering the spark he felt now. Those other times together weren't exactly under normal circumstances, or by their own choosing. Still, Jason remembered them and considered them cherished memories, but every damn one of them paled in insignificance compared to what was happening right here, right now.

He broke off, breathing hard, looking down at Alex with amazement. "Jesus."

"You taste good," Alex told him, licking his lips and rubbing them together. He took Jason's hands in his and placed one over his chest and the other over his crotch, hissing as Jason's hand touched him. "Touch me."

Jason groaned and kissed him hard as he let himself feel. Alex moved into him, rocking upward in a telling rhythm that made Jason think of only one thing. Getting naked. He broke off, heart racing, and took a deep breath. "I take it you've a fantasy or two?"

"Couple dozen, actually," Alex told him, and the way he smiled at him was new. "You up for that?"

"Fuck yes," and Jason grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled up but Alex stopped him and took over, taking it off himself, before he took hold of the man and rolled them over.

"I should take a shower," Jason said breathlessly even as his hands moved under Alex's shirt and slipped it off his shoulders. Before he knew it, Alex was on him, kissing him again and though Jason still tried to get the shirt off, Alex was making it difficult. He started to laugh through the kiss and Alex broke away, letting him remove his shirt.

"Later," Alex told him, leaning down to bite, then lick, at Jason's Adam's apple. "Besides, I like the way you smell." Distracting him with more bites and sucking kisses, Alex slid his hand down Jason's belly until he held his cock beneath his fingers.

"Jesus," Jason hissed, bucking into his hand.

Alex smiled against his skin and kissed over to his mouth, pressing lightly, loving the feel of Jason in his hand--though he wasn't quite _in_ his hand yet. "You need to be naked."

Jason groaned and moved his hands from Alex's hips to his ass, squeezing once and loving how the man bit his lip and gasped through his nose. "So do you." Jason wanted to take control, take over, drive Alex insane, but this was Alex's fantasy. "Tell me what you want, Alex," he asked, breathing hard, focusing on Alex's eyes. "I won't do anything you don't want me to."

The words made Alex snort again. "That's the trouble. I want everything."

Jason laughed softly. "What don't you want then?"

"I don't want..." he said, pausing, rubbing into Jason's hand as his own gripped a lot more tightly. Jason hissed again. "I don't want you to be careful."

Jason groaned through another kiss, and another, till he couldn't stand it and needed skin. "I need to be careful sometimes," he said, nudging Alex's shorts off his ass, careful of his cock.

Alex laughed excitedly, his own hands on Jason's shorts, moving them off much more quickly and a lot less carefully. "I may have only been with three men, Jason, but I know what I'm doing."

"So I see," and Jason rocked into his hand when Alex finally held his cock. "You're doing fine anyway, especially if..." He inhaled sharply when Alex rubbed firmly over the head. "Especially if your intent is to make me come this way."  He could, too.  So easily.  It wouldn't take long, either. Jason was enjoying it way too much. Alex smiled, twisted his fist, and Jason bit his lip and arched back.

"That's what I want, Jason," Alex said, stroked harder, faster. "What I'm doing right now is a fantasy."

"Oh god," Jason gasped and thrust into his fist.

"That's it," Alex breathed against his chin as he built a sharp, fast rhythm, making Jason follow it. "Fuck my fist."

Jason closed his eyes and held onto his shoulder, his right hand trying to work Alex's cock in the same maddening rhythm but Alex wouldn't let him. "Spread your legs, Jace," Alex whispered, and Jason felt warmth spread over his skin at the sound of his words. He slowly spread his legs, letting Alex see the expression of clear want on his face.

Alex laid over him once more, finally touching skin on skin. He sucked in a breath as their cocks rubbed together and was caught, mesmerized, by Jason's eyes on his. He was suddenly aware of the firm grasp on his hips, and Alex couldn't believe how good it felt when he let his weight fall, rocking into Jason's body, feeling him tense and thrust upward. "How's that?" he asked shakily.

With a smile and growl, Jason grabbed him and rolled them over once more. Staring down into the wide brown eyes, he had to taste him again and kissed Alex deeply, rubbing his body against him, with him. Breaking apart, he smiled at Alex's gasp for air. "How's _that_?" he whispered, still moving his body.

"Fine," Alex gasped.

"Want more?"

"God, yes, but I thought...do you want--"

"It's your three days, remember?" Jason told him as he slid his hands underneath and grabbed the firm, small ass.

Alex groaned, "Then I want as much as I can."

"I like that part," Jason answered with a dangerous look and crawled backward down the bed until he was level with Alex's knees. "Spread," he asked, not bothering to wait for Alex to comply as he pushed his thighs apart. Jason looked his fill, and without warning, dipped his head to gently bite his way up the inside of the left thigh, relishing the gasp that followed. "God, I love that sound," he whispered, moving further up, hovering over Alex's cock. He looked up, saw Alex holding his breath, and he just smiled and moved away, lowering his mouth to Alex's abdomen for a soft kiss.

"God, Jason, don't tease," Alex said as his breath hitched.

Jason smiled against his skin. "Tell me what you want then," he asked, kissing his way over to a hip, tonguing the bone.

Alex was torn between wanting Jason's mouth on him or feeling his entire body. He gave in to the latter. "On me, over me."

"Mind a little suck first?" Jason asked as he moved up his body. Alex squeaked out an affirmative when he arched into Jason's mouth, his lover's teeth and tongue busy torturing his right nipple.

Alex couldn't stop the moaning sounds he made, and Jason pulled more and more out of him, forcing his hands to grip and mold whatever he could touch while Jason attacked his throat. Alex slid his hands down his back, knowing where they were going, and breathed out with pleasure when he found and gripped the rounded muscle of Jason's ass. New feelings, new touches, and he craved more, had to feel everything and right fucking now. He squeezed harder, suggestively, fingertips nearing Jason's balls as he reached lower.

The result was an attack on his body by Jason's as the man rubbed against him like a cat, bringing their cocks together. "Jesus," Alex gasped, squeezing his eyes shut against the pleasure that rocketed through him. The shocks never seemed to stop, and when his mouth was _taken_ , he thrust upward madly.

"Yes," Jason said, breaking off, "this first."  He made up his mind then and there. They needed the edge taken off, that first release, first pleasure, and while Jason wanted to jerk him off, he told himself that could happen later, outside, have him writhe into his touch, the panic at being seen warring with his lust. Alex would give in to the lust though. Jason would make sure of it.

"God, yes, Jason, fuck yes, tomorrow," Alex panted against his ear, and Jason realized he'd been saying that out loud. Jesus, he was so gone.

Thrusting faster and harder, and Jason couldn't get enough of him, kissing and biting, breaking off to breathe, and he suddenly felt it when Alex raised his knees and wrapped them around his waist, heels biting into his ass. "Oh god, Alex," he groaned... and Alex was pushing him up. Away.

"I want to watch you come," he said, and Jason squeezed his eyes shut, doing just that at the sound of his words, shaking with each shot. At the sudden wrenching sound from Alex, Jason opened his eyes in time to see his _lover_ arch and stiffen, to feel him grab onto his hair and pull Jason's face down against him as he came.

Jason was surprised and shocked and he licked at the come that hit his chin. He watched mesmerized as Alex jerked through his spasms, his mouth hanging open while a groan released slowly from the back of his throat. The man was hot and beautiful and Jason wanted this to happen again. And again. And again.

 

 

TBC in Part Four


	4. Playground 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The smut continues. ;)

Daniel stretched, his legs moving across the bed, under and over Jack's, his arm sliding across his lover's back. Turning his head, he found Jack's eyes half-closed, watching him.

"Mornin'," he mumbled with a smile.

"Mornin' yourself," Jack answered, sliding his hand down Daniel's belly. "Hungry?"

Daniel smiled. "For coffee."

"Already done."

Daniel's eyes widened. "How? You haven't been out of bed."

"Says who?"

"Well," Daniel frowned, pushing up on his elbows. "You don't look it."

Jack grinned smugly, propping his head in his hand. "I made coffee half-asleep and came back to bed. So there's brew in the machine, waiting."

Daniel lunged, biting his lover's neck, making him laugh. "Thank you," he mumbled into him.

"Welcome. Now, let's grab a shower, clean up, pour some coffee, and go view the fallout."

Daniel's eyes widened. "Shit, I forgot."

"I did, too, till I was making the coffee." He rolled off the bed and stood up, scratching at his pubic hair. "They'd better be in bed."

Daniel sighed as he stood up, then spied the crumpled mess of towels on the floor. He gave Jack a soft, gentle smile as the man rounded the bed. Daniel reached out and grabbed his hand. "That was one hell of a damn time together last night."

Jack brought his lover's hand to his lips and kissed the fingers. "We have to try that again," Jack said, wanting to very much. He hadn't come like that in a while, either.

A spark showed in Daniel's eyes. "After Alex leaves, let's tell Jason. He's always wanted to know, and why we wouldn't talk too much about it. We can give him our modified version, complete with stage play." Daniel paused in front of his lover and ran a hand over Jack's cock. "He won't know what hit him."

Jack ran his hand down Daniel's stomach, finding something tacky; come that somehow hadn't dried. He cleared his throat and, overcome, kissed Daniel hard and long, making it last until they were both panting from it, swaying on their feet.

"Shower sounds good," Daniel suggested, biting at his collarbone and moving up his neck to his ear. "Sounds very good," he breathed, hitching when Jack brushed his hard cock with his hand.

"Let's go."

**.**

Jason started to wake from a strange dream about werewolves and blowjobs. Lots of growling, biting, and damn, but werewolves gave good head--once they learned to control their teeth, that is. The thought made Jason laugh, still half-asleep.

"What's funny?" asked Alex.

Jason stretched, arms already over his head as he tended to sleep that way, but he could only get half a stretch going. Alex was blocking the rest. Jason opened his eyes and pushed up with his elbows, peering down his body at Alex -- who lay between his legs.

"Alex, what the hell are you doing down there?"

"If you have to ask, I'm doin' it wrong."

"I'm not criticizing, trust me, but we should shower first. I stink."

"No, you don't," Alex said, nuzzling a thigh.

"Alex," Jason laughed, feeling a tingle run up through his balls. "C'mon now."

"Do you have to take a piss?"

"Um, no."

"Good."

"Why...ohhhh...um, never... mind."  With his hands in Alex's hair, Jason's cognitive function disintegrated as his eyes rolled back in his head.

**.**

Daniel made a shhhh gesture with his finger as they stepped through the front door. To their right, the bedroom door was wide open and it was quite clear that something was going on. When they risked a peek around the door frame, they caught the side view of what was definitely going on. The sight broadcast a very clear, very rapid, signal to their cocks.

Jason, on his back, eyes closed, neck arched. Alex was on his belly, lying between his legs, with his tongue busily doing wonderfully dirty things to their lover's ass. Jason's hands curled into tight fists on the bed sheets while Alex pushed against the backs of his thighs, thrusting his tongue slowly in and out of him. Jason was panting, making sounds both his lovers were very familiar with, and all the while, humming noises came from Alex's throat.

Daniel felt Jack's hand lace through his own and he squeezed. He mouthed the words, "Check out Alex," and let himself take a very good look at the man rimming their lover.

Jack looked his fill and, reluctantly, _liked_ what he saw. _Nicely_ built, with a broad chest, very little hair on him and what there was was blond. He had narrow hips and _long_ legs and god, a nicely shaped _small_ ass that moved with each thrust he made into the mattress.  Jack's hands twitched along with his dick.

Daniel noticed and abruptly grabbed Jack by the arm and headed back the way they came. Halfway there, between houses and on the stonework path, Daniel stopped, turned, and dropped to his knees, taking his own shorts down as he went. Pumping his cock with his right hand, his left took Jack's from his shorts and into his mouth, swallowing greedily.

"Fuck," Jack said tightly and grabbed Daniel's head for balance. "He's going to fuck him." Daniel made a humming noise of assent. "I imagined doing that... to _him_." Another, louder, agreement. "Bury myself in that small, _tight_ ass."

Daniel groaned loudly around his fingers as he dipped them quickly into his mouth, getting them wet.

"Did we have a fucking clue this would happen?" Jack asked through a groan.

"No," Daniel breathed as he took Jack's cock back in his drooling, waiting mouth. He pushed his wet digits into his lover's ass for a deep and thorough exploration, and letting Jack take control of his mouth, Daniel quickly, urgently, pumped his cock with one hand and fucked Jack with the other. It was fast and it was amazing. When he came, Daniel moaned with desperate cries around Jack's cock and felt the hot spurts of release at the back of his throat. It had been a while since Jack had done that; come with him. God, this was glorious.

**.**

"Jesus," Jason kept repeating while Alex slid his fingers back and forth inside him. He kept pushing into them when they entered, wanting deeper penetration, impatient for the first feel of his cock. It was a strange thought. _Alex's_ cock. He hadn't made the decision but it _had_ been made for him. Alex had been deeply aroused after waking him from his strange dream, caused apparently _by_ his actions. Jason was still trying to grasp that it had been Alex's tongue on him, in him, and that it was his caresses, not Daniel's, not Jack's, that stirred up the fire in his belly. That made him _need_.

The plans he'd half-drawn in his mind had been thrown out. Things that happened between him and Alex would be spontaneous, unplanned. He liked it unplanned anyway, but from Alex, it was somehow illicit, and therefore hotter. The man had surprised him, rimming him after going down on him. His techniques had been obviously inexperienced but not _new_ ; Jason could tell it was his first time for rimming a man, however. You could always tell, even with a new lover, when it was their first time for _that_ particular skill. Jason had guided him, for a while. Then Alex had taken over, knowing what he wanted.

Right now, it was apparent that he needed to do a little soothing because Alex was much too wound up. Jason watched him kneel between his legs, hands shaky with the lube bottle, and he had to stop him for a moment. He sat up and took Alex's head between his hands and pulled him up and over him for a few long, gentling kisses. "Relax, Alex," he said after they broke apart.

"I'm trying," his lover replied with a laugh, dropping his forehead to Jason's chest. He started laughing even more. "I'm acting like a virgin."

"No, you're acting nervous," Jason corrected, hands smoothing down his back and over his ass, keeping the arousal _alive_. "You said you were with three guys, right?"

"Yeah, but..." Alex replied as he pushed back and rested his chin on Jason's stomach, aware of his weight.

"But?"

"Twice, really. Ophius was the only one who fucked me."

Jason stifled the grin he felt. "So I'll be the first human?"

Alex rolled his eyes at him and Jason let the grin appear. "Don't even go there."

"Sorry."

"You're not."

"I am, kind of," Jason told him, caressing his cheek with a finger. "But it's your first time with _me_."

That made Alex grin and Jason could feel him relax more.

"Now, hand me the lube," Jason asked, "And sit up here, on my chest."

Alex did as asked, his cock twitching in the vicinity of Jason's mouth and the strange smile that curled his lips upward. He expected Jason to lube him. What he didn't expect was the man to place his hands on his hips.

"It's suddenly occurred to me, Alex, that I've yet to taste you or have your cock in my mouth. Don't you think that's a bit criminal?"

Alex grinned a little, but his expression was not one of amusement.

"Grab the headboard," Jason told him, fingers tightening slightly.

"And then?" Alex breathed as he leaned forward--and looking down, found his cock hovering over Jason's face. "Oh."

Jason took a long swipe with his tongue, from base to head, and Alex shuddered through a moan. He wanted to play with him, tease him, but perhaps he could do that tomorrow. Right now, it was time to get down to business. Reaching up, he took Alex's right hand from the headboard and placed it at the back of his head, supporting him. "Hold me," he whispered before he took his cock into his mouth and sucked.

Alex nearly lost his balance, nearly choked Jason with his enthusiasm--making Jason laugh around his erection--but that was far outweighed by the feelings generated all over him as Jason regained control and forced Alex to work up a sweat, bringing him close to the edge twice before backing off.

"God, you're going to kill me," Alex said, eyes half-lidded in pleasure.

Jason moaned around him, forcing the most interesting sounds from Alex's throat. He was so consumed with the need to please and taste and own that he pulled Alex with him as he slid down a bit and promptly rolled them over, mouth still on his cock, still sucking and tasting and grazing his teeth along the head.

Alex began to thrash, begging Jason to make him come, having forgotten all about the fact that he had planned on fucking him. But that was what Jason wanted. He wanted him to forget, brought to a point where Jason would back off for the last time. Which was now, and he slowly moved away and sat back.

Alex pushed up on his elbows, cheeks flushed. "Jason, what's wrong?"

Jason slowly applied the oil to his fingers, then to Alex's cock, massaging him with slow, deliberate strokes. "I thought you wanted to fuck me, Alex?"

"I do but..." Alex answered, breath laboring. "God, you're such a tease."

"Then get down here and fuck me," Jason said, smiling knowingly, smugly, as his fingers slid over the man's chest and purposely twisted Alex's nipples with his oily fingers.

"Jason," Alex gasped in shock and lust as his hands went to his nipples and rubbed.

"How'd it feel?" Jason asked.

"It hurt," Alex frowned.

" _Did_ it?" Jason asked purposely. "Did it _really_? Or is it just that you're not used to that? Aren't they warm now, almost hot?"

"Yeah, so?"

Jason reached out... carefully... and rubbed them with his palm. "Do they hurt?"

"Um..." Alex said, frowning in confusion. "No."

"How about now?" he asked, fingertips rubbing in circles. Alex hitched a breath in surprise. "Feels good, doesn't it?"

Alex had to admit that it did. "I've never had them twisted that hard."

"Hold still." Jason took the nubs between his fingers and twisted gently, pulling them outward. Stretched, he twisted more firmly and was rewarded with a gasp of surprised shock.

"Shit."

"Yes, now here it comes, so be prepared," but instead of twisting, he pinched them hard and Alex reflexively pulled out of his touch.

"Dammit, Jason."

Jason slid an arm around him and pulled him close, mouth going to each nipple, sucking and licking. "This feel better?"

Alex felt a strange tingling. "Yeah, but...softer, almost numb."

Jason smiled, fingers gently twisting a nipple, teasingly light. "This works so much better when you're... restrained."

It was suddenly hitting Alex just how in over his head he really was... at least where experience was concerned. Jack and Daniel had hinted at it, but... goddamn. He then remembered his casual handling of the restraints in the drawer. "Oh. Like those in the drawer?"

"Yes. What were you thinking, looking at them?"

Alex hesitated a moment, then said, "That I wondered if you used them. If you liked being tied down."

"I do," Jason said carefully, judging the reaction. Alex didn't answer but Jason felt the excitement under his hands, against his body. "Have you ever fantasized about being tied down like that? _Used_ like that?" he asked, nuzzling under his ear. "Being controlled? Having things done to you?"

"Yes," Alex whispered harshly and the sound had Jason kissing him fiercely, holding him down for a second before turning them over and taking Alex's hands in his. He held his own hands to the mattress, getting Alex to push, to hold them there. Jason followed that by purposely lifting his legs, raising his knees, placing Alex in position.

Before Alex knew what was happening, Jason slipped one hand free and took hold of his slender, long cock, rubbing the head against his ass. Taking advantage of his wild mood, Jason whispered, "Inside me, Alex. Now."

"Oh god," Alex answered, closing his eyes.

"No, don't close your eyes!" Jason ordered, then more softly said, "I want you to look at me."

Without a word, Alex bit his lip, staring into Jason's face as he pushed into the tremendously tight heat that surrounded his cock.

Jason watched his eyes and hitched a breath as Alex took his first stroke, moaning in pleasure. He bit his lip again, grunting, asking, "Yes. Do it again."

Alex did so, laughing through the spiking pleasure.

Jason smiled through a shudder and said, "What's funny?"

"Nothing, it's just... I'm doing this. It's amazing."

"Not yet, but it will be," and Jason wrapped his legs high around his back and thrust upward, groaning and arching his back.

"Oh shit," Alex breathed, a full body shudder passing through him.

"Again, faster," Jason asked, flushed and needing more.

Alex damn near came from watching his face and feeling him clench around his cock. He moved faster, setting an easy rhythm, till Jason grabbed the bed sheets, fists clenched sharply. He spread his knees wider, raised up as much as he could, carrying Alex with him, shuddering when Alex touched his gland. "Hard, Alex. Please."

"You're sure?" Alex breathed, his hands rubbing Jason's back and waist.

"I need you, now take what you fucking want. _Now_."

Alex groaned and closed his eyes, allowing himself to feel and hear as he pulled back all the way.

"Now, dammit!" Jason begged.

The sound was suddenly music to Alex's ears. He got it. He didn't do as Jason asked, either. Not yet. "You're begging?" he asked, sliding back inside with excruciating slowness and then pulling back once more.

"Oh god," Jason groaned.

"You're begging me?" Alex asked and stroked slowly once more.

"Yes, yes, please."

Alex loved the sound, loved that he'd guessed right in where to take this. He sank his cock deep and rolled his hips, elated by the choked gasp from Jason's throat and the double-clench of his fists. He tried not to laugh at the reality of his fantasy coming true. He was making Jason writhe beneath him and it was so good. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, shocked at his words but knew they were true.

"Alex, please," Jason begged again, thrusting up quickly, frustrated that Alex was doing exactly what he wanted, yet loving that he was.

"Fine, but you won't be sitting comfortably for a while," Alex warned, and for a few minutes, leaned his weight against his legs and let his hips go, fucking him with quick, hard strokes, feeling triumph at the sounds of pleasure Jason made. He knew then that this was what Jason was trying to get him to do, to accept, to stop being so... careful.

He found it easy to alter his rhythm, slowing down, speeding up, to make long passes and deep grinds that rubbed his lover's gland without mercy. When the word _lover_ finally sank in and hit him between the eyes, Alex was consumed by a lust he'd never allowed himself to experience and he slammed in, loving how Jason yelled, how his skin shone with sweat and how he... loved being fucked.

That thought forced Alex to give him everything and he aimed repeatedly for his lover's gland, screwing his hips, twisting, thrusts becoming shorter, harder, quicker, until he was banging him, pounding against his ass, his balls.

Jason then shocked Alex with the order, "Fucking own me!" and Alex held his breath and tried, going at him harder than he'd ever thought himself capable of doing.

"Do it! Oh god!" Jason gasped, nearly tearing the sheets, his legs now in mid-air to give Alex all the room he wanted. It became a secondary concern when Alex's hand was suddenly around his cock, his fist meeting the brutal abandon of his thrusts as they rocked the entire bed, the headboard now slamming into the wall. Jason arched back, yelling his name, cursing, coming in long and thick streams over his stomach, his chest. Eyes tightly shut.

Alex's gaze fixed on his own cock as he kept fucking him, loving how tightly Jason's muscles squeezed him. But he couldn't keep going much longer and the friction quickly forced his balls to tighten and draw up, making him yell Jason's name as he came.

Lying with him afterward, Alex wondered if anything was wrong, if he'd made a mistake. Jason was quiet, barely moving, but he held him firmly in his arms and his breathing seemed contented, easy.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked, breath misting Jason's throat.

Jason moved then, hand passing down Alex's back to his ass. "Fine. I dozed off, I think."

Alex smiled with astonishment and pushed up to look at him. "I put you to sleep?"

"Nothing like a damn good fuck to do that," Jason said, laughing as he pulled Alex down for a kiss.

**.**

Daniel was standing at the kitchen counter, _trying_ to drink his third cup of coffee, but Jack was making it a little difficult. He smiled around his cup, not bothered _too_ much after what they'd just done...prior to the second shower, that is. Behind him, Jack's arms tightened around his waist and instead of the nuzzling he'd been giving Daniel, he took the back of his left ear between his teeth and tugged.

With the mug still at his lips, Daniel reached back and tapped at Jack's chin. "Trying to drink my caffeine here," he reminded.

"Ah huh," Jack replied, not completely ignoring him.

"Jack, you're not planning to do that for an hour, are you? Recovery time, and all that?"

An _hour_? Jack asked silently, and bit down, making Daniel groan and set down his coffee cup. He turned in Jack's arms and gave him a reprimanding look which Jack responded to with a mischievous one.

"What?" he asked.

"What," Daniel mimicked, rolling his eyes.

Noise and motion to their left--they looked just in time to see Alex frozen in place just inside the kitchen entrance. His hair was still damp and he looked freshly shaven. The white, long-sleeved button-down shirt fell loosely over blue shorts that hugged his slim hips and long thighs. Jack idly wondered if the long shirts weren't worn for a particular reason.

Alex saw them briefly before they saw him and a sudden flurry of embarrassment and _guilt_ swept through him. When their eyes turned to him, his guilt increased. "Sorry, should I, uh, come back later?"

"Don't be an idiot," Jack said with mock-scolding. He kissed Daniel quickly and stepped back. "Get in here. You're not interrupting."

Alex fidgeted as he walked further in, standing next to the table. He wondered if he should sit down but the smell of coffee distracted him.

Daniel carefully allowed himself to _feel_ and was surprised by what he encountered. Underneath it all, he sensed that Alex was... _happy_. Daniel smiled, hesitantly, still not sure of his accuracy where his 'gift' was concerned. Like Jack, he made a quick inspection of Alex's appearance, but covered his curiosity better. He couldn't help but grin at the way Jack's long look was making Alex nervous and slapped his ass when it went on too long.

"Jack, stop it, you're embarrassing him."

Jack turned, his face averted from Alex, and gave Daniel a very quick, very dirty, secretive smile before assuming a different expression when he turned back.

"Sorry, Alex. Coffee?" and he picked up the carafe.

"Please," Alex breathed in relief. Jack handed him one of two empty mugs sitting on the counter and Alex accepted it.

"Where's Jace?" Daniel asked as Alex fixed his coffee.

"Taking his shower. He had me wash up first."

"No sharing then?" Daniel started, and realized that Alex wasn't familiar with his brand of particular teasing. "Sorry, Alex. Aftersex humor runs rampant around here."

Alex's eyes widened in shock and Daniel felt the mental smack in the head from Jack. Dammit.

"What makes you think anything happened?" Alex asked.

Daniel tapped his own head. "The empathy. I can feel that you're happy. I'm assuming things worked out between you or you wouldn't be, right?"

"Yeah, things worked out."

"Great," Jack smiled, like a shark.

Alex flushed a bit as he looked over his shoulder, then turned, mug in hand, stirring the contents. He took a long drink, looking at both men over the rim. "Great coffee," he said, avoiding the answer to the question they weren't asking yet. Jason's lovers were damned nosy. Though for good reason. They were _Jason's_ lovers.

"Thanks," Jack answered. "So... how'd it go?"

Alex's grin became a shade too serious. "My overhearing your conversation last night eventually achieved the desired result, if that was your intention, that is."  They tried to appear innocent but Alex agreed with Jason. What he'd overheard had been intentional and there was no use hedging about it.

Daniel stifled the grin and said, "You overheard us? Huh. I didn't even hear you come over last night."

"Stopped by for more popcorn," Alex informed them. Jack's expression was unreadable, which was annoying. Alex had come to expect that however; he could never read the man.

"You said _eventually_ ," Jack finally said. "That means what?"

"Well, after I got over the shock, I confronted him." He took a slow sip from the mug, watching them. When they didn't respond, but only glanced at each other, Alex went on. "After a little avoidance, I managed to get him to ask me the question... more or less." It was game-playing, but what the hell. They'd started it.

"He still wouldn't ask?" Jack asked, still giving away nothing as he and Daniel began to get things ready for breakfast.

Alex answered with a silent nod, then carefully said, "I kind of ambushed him and didn't really give him a chance to ask me properly."

Jack's smile was _huge_. "Attaboy."

"Jack," Daniel said, sort of scolding, except he was thinking the same thing.

"Except... that took a little doing. He got mad. At you two. Saw right through that overhearing business."

"Is he still?" Daniel cringed as he brought down two pans from the overhead carousel.

Alex grinned over a mouthful of coffee and swallowed. "Yeah, a little. But I think I nipped that in the butt... so to speak."

Jack and Daniel couldn't help the wide grins and soft laughter as they turned away. Alex had the distinct -- dreaded -- feeling that they knew what they'd been up to that morning. Jason's words about 'watching' came back to him but Alex told himself he was _not_ going to ask unless they tortured him first. Which then brought him an image that he wished he'd had outside of their presence.

"So... what exactly happened, if you don't mind my asking?" Jack said as he busied himself with getting things out of the fridge. "I mean, after you confronted him."

Alex turned thoughtfully in the direction of the front door. "He found out that trying to keep me blissfully ignorant was a huge mistake because I'm neither blissful nor ignorant, and that keeping plans like that from me only managed to piss _me_ off."

"Although, playing devil's advocate here, you wouldn't have been pissed off if you'd never have known," Daniel pointed out.

"I already knew something was off, Daniel," Alex told him honestly, finishing his cup and going over to refill it. "He was acting distant. It wasn't too overt or anything, but enough for me to notice. That he was doing it at all was getting on my nerves because it seemed as if he thought I was damned clueless." At their arched brows, he frowned. "I was, I admit, but I'm not completely stupid. I noticed and wondered what I'd done wrong."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Daniel told him firmly.

"I know that now. I just couldn't escape the feeling I was being punished for something I hadn't done. And Jason's treating me as if I were some teenager without a clue on handling my own feelings...well, that only made me madder."

"He didn't mean to hurt you, you know," Jack told him soberly. "I think he'd hoped to avoid that altogether."

"Yet once I found out, that hurt me, too," Alex confided. "I hate being kept out of a loop I'm supposed to be in on. Inviting me here and then not going through with the original intention? It set me on edge right away and it hurt to find that he thought I was some delicate flower."

"Alex, he doesn't see you that way," Daniel argued.

"Not any more, he doesn't," he murmured over his coffee cup, an enigmatic smile on his lips as he sipped. At that very moment, all he wanted to do was crawl back in bed and listen to Jason make more of _those_ sounds. Just thinking of it made his dick itch.

Daniel exchanged a knowing wink with Jack and asked, pretending that he hadn't heard, "I'm sorry?"

Alex shook his head. "Nothing. It's okay now, of course, but I mean, c'mon, how would you feel?"

"Sometimes Jason needs a kick in the ass," Jack told him.

Alex nodded, agreeing. "But it's all over with and things are fine, I guess. So... can I help with anything?" he asked, gesturing at the food and pans.

"No, we got it," Jack told him with a grin. "Just have a seat."

Alex sat down at the table, his eyes fixing on a magazine.

Daniel breathed a slow sigh of relief. Perhaps a little teasing would be okay; find out how much Alex was willing to share. In the meantime, maybe Daniel could also figure out what the guilt was all about.

"So, Alex, can you tell us what _else_ happened?" Daniel asked, stopping and giving Alex a long look.

Alex grinned into his mug, a finger playing at turning a page of the magazine. "The usual, I guess."

"Oh c'mon, you've gotta give us more than that," Jack said in a low, deep voice, turning to look from across the kitchen, giving Alex his full attention, pinning him with his gaze. He wanted to hear more, that was certain, but what he'd _seen_ had aroused him more than he thought he would have been. Getting his rocks blown off by Daniel earlier had only fueled him to want more; to see more.  Alex looked a bit embarrassed but no more than Jack expected.

Alex finally said, "The usual. You know."

Jack's grin appeared, wolfish and predatory. "Top or bottom?"

Daniel looked over at him, brow raised. "Jack."

"What, I know you're curious."

"I am but...you know. It's between him and Jason."

Jack rolled his eyes and winked at Alex, saying, "He wants to know," and was thumped in the back for it. "So, top or bottom."

Alex was getting the hang of this. He liked the look of interest in Jack's eyes and continued to bait him back by refusing to answer, busying himself with sipping at his coffee to sort of hide the smile. This was fun.

**.**

As Jason dried his skin, he still felt the twinge of guilt for having Alex go up to the main house without him. He knew the man would likely get teased, but Jason needed to get a little alone time. He had to order his thoughts... his feelings, more specifically.

He loved what happened earlier, but he'd also faked being asleep. He'd wanted to snuggle with the man, to hold him and lay there napping all morning. But something inside told him, just as it had the night before, that it would be emotionally dangerous to do so. Soon after getting out of bed, he'd begun to feel guilty about it because the reality was... it was too damn late to avoid the danger. He was in it. Right up to his dick.

What he had to figure out now was how to handle it without getting all... possessive and over-protective. It was bad enough that he already felt it, but he had to try to ward it off, hence sending Alex up alone, showing himself that he could handle sending the man into the lion's den without wanting to rush up and 'rescue' him. Testing himself had never been a problem. This was just a little more difficult to manage.

Having Alex slide into him had been _good_. Damn good. It felt natural, like he belonged there, and stroking inside him was the most fantastic feeling of pleasure, the very _same_ pleasure he felt with Daniel and Jack. Which scared him afterwards and started this introspection. Damn nuisance, his brain.

As he dressed, Jason came to realize that no matter how he felt, he had to live with it. The feelings would take time to deal with--in that time and living with them were the only solution. He could cut himself off, of course, but not without hurting Alex, or Daniel and Jack who hated it when he did that because it inevitably affected them, too.

Besides, Daniel would know. That damned empathy of his. Although Jason was finding out that he didn't mind it too much. It kept him in check after all.

As for Alex and what to do now...

Jason took a deep breath and told himself that he shouldn't be this excited in looking forward to more; to turning the tables. But he was. Oh boy, he was. Despite the misgivings and the fear, he felt good about what had happened so far. He felt damn good.

**.**

Alex heard singing, far away but coming closer. It was Jason. As he came closer to the front door, all three of them turned, sort of catching the tune.

When Jason entered the kitchen, he winked at Alex before purposely bypassing his lovers and grabbing himself a cup of coffee. "Alex, are they grilling you for details?"

"Jason, we're not grilling him," Daniel protested. "Alex, tell him we're not."

Alex grinned. "They're not, Jason. I'm no more than a fillet on the stove."

Daniel groaned. "Sell out."

Jason started snickering. "And it was such a nice morning, too."

Grinning, Jack turned back to the bowl he'd been cracking eggs into and sniffed dramatically. "You never sang after we did it."

Daniel started laughing, shaking his head. "Jack."

Jason gave Alex a sly look and the man blanched. "I never said," Alex started but Jason waved at him to calm down.

"He's teasing, Alex," he said, winking at him. Daniel walked up behind him and gave him a kiss on the neck and a rough slap on the ass. "Morning, Daniel," Jason said, turning.

"Morning," Daniel replied, leaning in to kiss him.

"Jack been like this since you woke up?"

"He made me coffee, so yeah," Daniel answered, then pulled Jason close and whispered in his ear. He didn't think it _too_ rude in Alex's presence. For all the man knew, he was telling Jason something about Jack. "We went over to surprise you," he whispered, "and got one of our own."  Jason pulled back slowly, staring in his eyes, and felt himself getting hard. Daniel quickly added, "Not all of it, just the... beginning." He then suggestively touched the back of his front teeth with his tongue.

"Nice timing," Jason said, not bothering to whisper, "And quite interesting to hear you say that, considering what Alex told me he supposedly _overheard_ last night."

Jason caught Jack looking over his shoulder and winked at him. "Didn't he, Jack? Hear something, I mean," and he walked across the kitchen and grabbed Jack's ass as he kissed his temple. "Want me to sing for you, sweetheart?"

Jack couldn't stop the grin and leaned over to kiss him back. "No, that's okay."

Tongue in cheek, Jason took his coffee and sat down next to Alex, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl in the center of the table. Biting into it, he added, "Well, Jack, Daniel, that was a nice little set up." He gave Alex a long look.

"What?" Alex asked, grabbing a pear just to have something to do. "I said nothing."

"He didn't have the chance," Jack said. "You showed up before he could say anything."

"We're talking about what he overheard, not what he didn't say."

"Jason, are you really mad?" Daniel asked.

There was a short, uncomfortable silence, then Jason admitted, "Not really. I was, but I got over it the moment I felt something wet in my mouth." The wicked grin he aimed at Alex made the man blush and Jason laughed, putting an arm around his neck to kiss him.

"And there's no proof," Jack said, shaking his head. "They could be lying, Daniel, and we'd never know."

Jason let out a snort. "Do you guys want me to film everything so you won't have to ask next time?" He ignored Alex's gasp of surprise.

"You mean you _didn't_ record it?" Jack asked, sniffing. "I'm disappointed in you, Jason."

"I..." and he nuzzled Alex's face, laughing still, "had my hands full."

Alex smacked him away. "Asshole."

"I'll remember next time, Jack," Jason told him.

"Jason, you guys are kidding right?" Alex asked, shoving at him when Jason tried to put his arm around him again.

"What? You don't want to do it for the camera?" Jason's smile was wolfish.

Alex stared at them and it dawned that they were yanking his chain. At least, they were where he was concerned. He blew out a breath. "You guys are fucking scary."

They started laughing and Jason finally grabbed hold of him and kissed him more deeply this time... right in front of them. "Of course, we are, Alex. We're insane."

Fighting off the weird feeling he was getting, Alex laughed instead. "You are."

As Daniel's laugh faded, he watched Jason and Alex's interaction carefully. Jack passed him on his way to the fridge and Daniel received a _look_ before Jack glanced back at Jason and Alex. He saw the same arousal as earlier, just as there was in himself. This was... interesting.

**.**

After breakfast, Jason took Alex down to the beach for the rest of the morning and a little game playing, but not the sort of game playing Alex had expected. Rock finding. They shared the same interest in geology, and while a little monotonous sometimes, it was fun competing with him, spending time with him, doing nothing important.

Even so, Alex knew that Jason was killing time... planning something. He figured it probably had partly to do with why he'd sent him away so he could clean up alone. Alex was finding that being with this part of Jason was much more alluring than simply being his friend. While he'd have enjoyed his company anyway, there was an underlying restlessness that Alex liked. He contented himself with watching, passing the time with rocks and waiting. For now.

Jason _was_ restless, as Alex surmised. He squatted down along the edge of the surf, picking up a tiny bit of quartz. He'd kept his hands to himself since coming down to the beach and that was mostly to tease himself, not Alex. He couldn't help but wonder when Jack and Daniel would be watching and the idea that they _would_ , since they already had, wouldn't let his cock settle down. Jason was in a constant state of arousal, especially since Daniel had whispered in his ear--although he was quite willing to blame Alex for the rest of that arousal. He looked down the beach, watching his friend scan the sands, looking for a rock Jason hadn't found yet.

Jason wanted nothing more right then to leave, take him to bed, to lie next to... his lover... for the next two days. That's exactly what Alex was. He wasn't just a fantasy fuck. He was his close friend, his subordinate, his 2IC, and his lover--for now.

Dismissing the encroaching sadness, Jason forced himself to focus on the immediate future and smiled for the haphazard plans he'd made. They were only an outline, nothing elaborate. Just... seduction; making sure the lube was within reach. Anything else he'd leave to Alex's imagination. While Jason wanted bondage, that would have to wait. He'd keep dropping hints, but this was something for Alex, not just for himself.

Jason thought again how Alex had felt inside him and it made him shiver. Alex really knew how to fuck; he had a nicely shaped cock and excellent moves; Jason wasn't surprised. It did make him wonder, however, if Cari weren't clinically insane. Why the hell would she give that man up?

Jason watched Alex bend over to pick up something else and allowed himself to wallow in what he saw; specifically, the backs of Alex's thighs and the erotic play of his small, muscular ass. His eyes moved up the body, taking in the long waist and broad back and the way the muscles of his arms flexed. Alex wasn't overtly muscular, but he had rounded curves where they mattered. No sharp jutting of bone in the shoulders or collar which Jason felt looked ugly on a man, making him appear unfinished.

Alex's legs were a bit too thin, but they made up for that in strength, something Jason had experienced whenever they had sparred or wrestled--and most especially, yesterday. Just thinking how those legs would feel wrapped around him again made Jason feel his restlessness more keenly. It was time to stop putting it off, he told himself. He wanted to savor the time, stretch it out, not wanting it to be over, but...who was he kidding? He wanted him and he was tired of waiting.

Alex caught Jason watching him and with a smirk, he walked over. Jason removed his sunglasses, eyes traveling down, wishing Alex's long shirt tails didn't cover up so much.

Alex pointed upward. "Check it out."

Jason looked up, nodding at the cloud cover. "I know. I smelled it coming." A drop hit his hand and purposely looking at Alex, he licked it off. "I could use something to drink, you?"

"I could use one," Alex answered, seeing something behind Jason's eyes he couldn't identify but he liked. A lot.

Jason gave him a crooked grin and cocked his head to the right, in the direction of the buildings. "C'mon."

Rain started coming down more heavily and by the time they reached the deck and the path to the houses, it was coming down in sheets. Jason started laughing when Alex sputtered, shielding his eyes. "C'mon, let's make a run for it!" he suggested and without waiting for approval, grabbed his hand and took off.

They reached their bungalow's deck, drenched to the skin and hid under the wide overhang of the roof as they started for the front door. Alex suddenly stopped as his ears caught something he had thought he'd imagined.

"What?" Jason asked, turning.

Alex thumbed in the direction of the main bungalow. "Do you hear something?"

Jason cocked his head to focus his hearing. Music. _Thematic_ music. He assumed a filthy grin and winked at Alex. "Oh yeah, I hear it."

"Is that what I think it is?" Alex asked, following him inside.

"Porn? Yeah, it's what you think it is," Jason answered, abruptly stripping off his wet clothes in the doorway.

Alex swallowed at the sight of him, his eyes inevitably traveling down. When he found Jason smirking at where he was looking, he cleared his throat and looked down at his own wet clothing, plucking it away from his skin. Jason was suddenly standing in front of him, fingers on his shirt buttons.

"Should probably get out of these wet clothes," Jason suggested as he unbuttoned his shirt. His face was tilted down as if he were focusing on the buttons, but looked up after a few seconds without lifting his head, eyes on Alex's, waiting.

"Probably."

"Thinking of anything interesting?"

"Perhaps."

"Care to share?"

"Perhaps," Alex repeated coyly, placing his hands over Jason's, guiding him. "Is there a reason they have the sound turned up? It's not like we can hear them from here."

Jason slipped the shirt off his shoulders, his hands moving slowly over wet skin. "C'mon, I'll show you."

**.**

If Alex thought he couldn't have heard Daniel and Jack, he would have found out otherwise had he remained outside; while neither he nor Jason had any intention of staying outside, Jack and Daniel had other plans.

They were currently on the back deck, naked, and very wet. Sex hadn't gone too far yet--they had been taking their time. Even after the downpour came. They refused to leave, both thinking it erotic, with the rain mixing with the sweat they had worked up. Their skin slid easily against each other, mixed with oil, perspiration, and water.

"You want to go in?" Daniel asked, uselessly licking his lips free of rain drops after breaking for air. He pushed up from his straddled position over Jack, trying to shield his face from the oncoming rain.

"No," Jack answered and rolled them over, the rain having made a cushion of softer protection over the hard wood. He kissed down Daniel's throat. "Do you?"

"No."

"Then turn over," he said against his skin, then added with a kiss, "You can ride me later."

"Only if you go easy on me," Daniel warned as Jack carefully guided him to his knees.

"Done," Jack said, placing a sucking kiss at the base of his spine. They were both so hard, the video so loud, and combined with the rain and the fact that Daniel already had been lubed--courtesy of a nice show for Jack--it was past time. Jack grabbed the nearby towel, now drenched, and placed it underneath Daniel's cock.

"Oh thanks, how gallant of you."

"Not really," Jack grinned. "I just don't want you to get splinters in your dick."

Daniel started laughing.

"Lay down," Jack said, trying not to laugh and failing. Daniel, still snickering, laid his lower body down, upper body resting on his forearms. Jack slowly dropped down over him and--slipped, his full weight falling on him, making Daniel grunt through another round of laughter.

"Sorry," Jack said, laughing sheepishly.

Daniel couldn't stop laughing as he asked, "Bit slippery up there?"

"Ya think?" Jack asked, biting his neck. When Daniel started to spread his legs, Jack stopped him, placing his own outside of his.

"Oh, manly," Daniel said, aroused by it.

"Leverage, smart ass."

"On a wet deck?" Daniel asked, laughing even more as Jack rested his own forearms outside of Daniel's.

Jack's answer was to quickly position his cock and push, and Daniel's laughter subsided with an abrupt series of grunts. "God, I love those sounds you make," Jack said, pushing harder. Daniel's grunts only made his need climb and he pulled back and thrust, listening to the long groan of satisfaction that sent a nice shudder through his balls.  "God this feels weird," he said abruptly.

Daniel started laughing again. "Me being wet? You're kidding right? Showers or jacuzzi ring a bell?"

Jack bit his shoulder. "No, the shower raining on my ass." He pulled back and thrust again, though he had to go more slowly since the slickness of Daniel's skin mixed with the lube and didn't give him much maneuvering room.

"Feels okay to me," Daniel breathed. "I like the way you're sliding against me." He squirmed and Jack nearly slid off, grabbing a hip and shoulder to hold on.

"You did that on purpose," Jack said over the back of his ear and gave him a sharp thrust.

Daniel let out a satisfied grunt. "I'll keep doing it if I get results like that. Beside, I like the slide."

"Me, too. Weird, but nice."

"Ah, I'm so relieved," Daniel said sarcastically and was rewarded by a punishing thrust that was far from punishing. "If you keep doing that, there won't be any riding dessert later," Daniel sing-songed.

"Right now, I'm thinking you-inside-me for dessert."

Daniel let out a long groan as Jack kept thrusting, finally finding a rhythm. "I can live with that," he said breathlessly. "Fuck me faster."

"Ain't gonna happen."

"Jack."

"No front seat driving."

Daniel forgot all about laughing. He bit his lip and expressed himself instead through moans that matched Jack's very slow, deep pace.

**.**

Jason squatted in front of the entertainment center by the bed and pulled out a few DVDs in the storage cabinet there. He slid one in the player and turned on the TV. When the disc started to play, Jason fast-forwarded over the beginning.

Behind him, Alex stepped out of his shorts and moved to the dresser. "So what else have you in mind to do today?" he asked, picking out dry clothes.

"A few things," Jason answered. He stopped forwarding the video, pressed play, and turned up the sound.

The off-beat irregular music was of little notice behind the action onscreen. Alex felt it run over his skin and deep into his balls. His cock reacted to the grunts and cries, but more so to the slick sounds of fucking and the slapping of skin. He knew that Jason was behind him somewhere, maybe watching him for his reaction to the video, but Alex was suddenly hyperaware of his own nudity. He could also swear that Jason was now close by and just as he turned his head to have a look, a hand smoothed over his left hip and buttock, making him inhale sharply through his nose.

"Warn a guy," he breathed, feeling Jason's warm body press against his. He couldn't help but groan and lean into him, and hitched a quiet breath as he saw the bottle of lube placed on top of the dresser. Jason put his arms around him then, one hand on his chest, the other on his abdomen, stroking his skin in firm, seductive caresses. He breathed over Alex's left ear, his tongue sliding over the lobe and along the shell, moving back and underneath, heading for his jaw.

"I _really_ don't think you'll be needing those clothes," he said, whispering it against the back of his jaw as he licked along the bone. His hands moved to the front of his hips, caressing indulgently before moving inward across his abdomen.

"No, probably not," Alex breathed, dropping the clothes and closing the drawer. He tensed with a groan as Jason's hands moved, seducing him unnecessarily. Alex was suddenly aware of how hard the man was, how his cock pointed downward deliberately against his ass. Alex couldn't stop the image of bending forward just enough to give Jason access, and bit his lip, reaching back with one hand to lace through his hair. "Jason, Jesus."

"How do you feel about the sound?" Jason asked, licking a path down the side of his neck.

"Fine," Alex said, except he wasn't paying attention. The sound from the porn was erotic, true enough, but it could have been silent in the room for all Alex would have noticed.

Jason cupped his chin with his right hand, lifting it up, his lips and tongue now traveling forward along his jaw before he turned Alex's face toward his own and captured his mouth, kissing him passionately. A gasp escaped through his nose when Jason's free hand circled his hip and slid down to the inner thigh, pulling it away from the other. Opening him.

"You feel so good," Jason said, breaking the kiss, biting his chin, his jaw, licking around his ear again before he changed sides and began again. "I want you."

Alex laughed nervously, his breath hitching. "I can feel that."

"Can you feel that, too?" Jason asked, rocking his hips, sliding his cock under Alex's balls and between his thighs.

"Yes," Alex replied, closing his eyes as he imagined being filled, his body's lust wanting it badly. Except for one thing, which he didn't want to bring up, spoil the moment. Jason would _know_ once they'd started. "Ophius was the only one, Jason."

"I suspected," Jason said, mouth busy on his neck while both hands now moved down, avoiding his cock in a pure tease as they gripped Alex's inner thighs and pulled back. He rocked back and forth, his cock riding against Alex's skin, his balls.

"How?"

"You're very tense, Alex. After so many years of experience, I can tell why."

"Uh, right," Alex said softly.

Jason lowered his hips slightly, thrusting so that his cock slid easily between his lover's thighs. He knew he wasn't playing fair, teasing Alex like this, but he needed him to relax and open up to him. He reached out and took the lube, popping the cap. "I'm going to make sure you relax for me," he breathed, teeth grazing over the knob of his spine. He heard a gasping sound from Alex, which prompted the question, asked behind his ear. "Do you want me?"

"God, Jason," Alex said, dropping his head back on his shoulder, shuddering as Jason's cock pushed over his balls and against his perineum. He brought Jason's free hand to his cock. "Can't you tell?"

"You're ready then?" Jason asked, stroking the shaft with his fingertips.

Alex let a rude sound escape his throat which made Jason chuckle. "Stop and I'll probably kill you," he said when Jason's shaft rubbed just briefly over his hole. It felt so good. Everything did.

"You'd better be ready," Jason began, his voice rough and deep. "Ask me why, Alex." In front of him, Jason's arms surrounded him and he poured a lot of the gelled lube into his right palm.

"Why?" Alex breathed, watching both hands disappear, replaced by his own as he braced his hands on the edges of the dresser.

"I'll do whatever you want, after," he began as he spread the thick amount over Alex's hole, using his body to slick his own fingers. "Fuck you however you want," and he nudged Alex's feet apart gently, his finger teasing his hole. "But right now, I'm doing this my way. Slow and easy and good." He pushed his finger inside and the sensation was so arousing that Alex bucked backward, nearly impaling himself on his finger. "Slow and easy," Jason reminded.

Alex bit his lip, dropping his head back again. He knew how it would feel, that there'd be pain. "I want to feel it all, feel _you_." He turned his face to him, awkward as it was, so that he could get Jason to claim another kiss. He did, taking his mouth and kissing him hard and deep. Jason moved his finger slowly, and eventually Alex loosened and relaxed enough for Jason to insert two. Jason pushed, reaching for that hard little spot as he bent his fingertips down.

Alex's reaction was immediate. He broke the kiss with a surprised gasp, eyes wide, hands grabbing the edge of the dresser as his eyes stared into Jason's. He was speechless for the moment and Jason took advantage of it.

"I'm going to touch you here, better than this," and he rubbed more firmly, feeling Alex's legs shake. "Then I'll fuck you so hard. Tell me you want that."

"I want, I want," Alex breathed, "but if you don't get a move on, you'll make me come too soon."  Jason breathed a sound against his neck and forced another gasp from Alex's throat when he removed his fingers and placed the head of his cock there instead, not stopping, pushing firmly.

Alex knew it'd be different than Ophius and expected pain. What surprised him was that he didn't get it. Ophius had had small tricks that had made him feel nothing but pleasure. Jason had his version of it, and this time, Alex felt everything. Alex wouldn't call it pain; where he'd expected it, there was only fullness and burning. With it came the need for Jason to move.

"Okay?" Jason asked in a whisper.

"Yes," Alex answered, and a second later, his thoughts were just _gone_. Jason held his cock, pumping him in a slow rhythm that matched the rocking motion he set. He wasn't even thrusting yet and Alex was panting like he'd run a marathon. His skin tingled with pleasure he couldn't control, nor did he want to.

"Good, Jason," he panted. "So good," and he grabbed his hips and held on, fingers digging in, letting Jason know he was okay. So okay.

Jason growled against his ear, unable to help it. Alex was so damn hot, so damn tight, ass fitting perfectly between his hips. So soft, so hard; so _there_ , waiting and taking and trying to rush him as Alex pushed back. Jason pulled back slowly, the groan he elicited was nothing compared to the guttural sound Alex made when he thrust back in.

"Again," Alex breathed. "God, again."

Another slow thrust, and Jason repeated them in a rhythm that drove both of them insane, wanting more, something higher, more acute, possibly on the threshold of pain. Jason couldn't allow that. Not yet. Instead, he decided a distraction would be good for both of them.

"Time for a fantasy story, don't you think?" Jason asked him, leaning in to bite his shoulder. "This has to be special."

"It already fucking _is_ ," Alex said, grabbing at the dresser again with one hand while he pulled at his lover's hip with the other.

Jason's breath against his neck moistened Alex's already sweating skin and he couldn't help but lick. "I want you on the bed," he said harshly, "and it's better to move now than later. Put your hands around my neck." Hands now at his waist, Jason held him as he took a slow, careful step back, pulling out.

Alex growled his disapproval. "Dammit, Jason. We need to be on wheels."

Jason laughed softly and pulled Alex against him, with him, as he moved him to the bed and gently pushed him face down over the foot. "Crawl up to the head."

Alex did so, and was going to turn over when Jason laid over him, placing more cool lube over his hole before pushing his hot cock back inside, each action quickly following the other. He let out a moan, feeling the new sensation of his heat sinking deep inside him. "Special," he repeated as Jason suddenly nuzzled him.

"Yes," Jason said, reaching over to grab the remote that lay on the bed. Muting the video, the only sound now was from the loud hum of rain on the roof and the deck. The air was thick with humidity and sweat as well as their own lust; it made Jason want Alex all the more and he surrounded him with his arms and legs, taking his hips back for a slow thrust that ended hard.

"Yes," Alex gasped as Jason touched his gland. Resting on his forearms, he pressed his forehead to the bed, panting harshly, breath hitching with each thrust that now ended with a hard push. He sought out Jason's hands, holding them firmly into the bed when he laced them together, palm to palm. He squeezed and said, "More, Jason."

"Remember what I said about a story?" Jason asked, teeth grazing the back of his neck and through his hair, biting down for a second when he reached the side of his neck.

"Yes."

"I fantasize this happening offworld. Me finding you on your stomach, naked, legs spread, while underneath, you jerk off." He moved his hips back slowly, his cock pulling out from Alex's ass. "I surprise you, lay over you just like this, push in just enough..." and he thrust carefully, his cockhead easily pushing past the puckered opening.

"Shit, Jason," Alex whispered, closing his eyes, rubbing his cock into the bed cover but trying not to let Jason slip out.

"I ask you if you want my cock," Jason said, pulling back enough to thrust in slow and deep.

"Yes, I want it," Alex rasped, spreading his knees as he lifted up enough to let Jason know what he wanted. As Jason increased his rhythm, Alex couldn't help calling out his name as he pushed back, trying to get to his knees.

"Jesus," Jason gasped, moving back, pulling Alex with him until they were both on hands and knees, his own body over Alex like a blanket. He readjusted his rhythm, watching Alex drop his head down as he fucked him harder, deeper, both hands braced outside of Alex's.

"Give it to me," Alex said breathlessly, loving the feel of him against his ass, his back. "Goddamn it, Jason, please."

"Damn sexy bastard," Jason whispered as he felt Alex convulse a little around his cock. "Jesus, yes. Come for me, Alex. Come for me." He adjusted to a harder rhythm and when Alex reached underneath to take his cock, he sped up until he was slapping hard against him, the sounds desperate, frantic.

"Yes," Alex cried repeatedly as he thrashed his head about, the pleasure thrumming his entire body so acutely he couldn't keep still. His hand moved in a blurring speed, squeezing the head on every pass and suddenly, the last pass over his gland as well as his cockhead was all that he needed. His orgasm shot through him like a flash, blinding him to everything but the pleasure, and he kept stroking himself, pulling every last bit from his body as Jason continued to fuck him.

Jason slowed down, gritting his teeth against the strangling grip around his cock. "Jesus-fuck, Alex!" he cried out, thrusting twice more before he was coming hard, spilling forever, emptying everything he had. He felt Alex shudder as he filled him, his come bathing his gland.

"Fuck," Alex croaked, dropping to the bed, sprawling bonelessly.

Jason let his cock slip free of him and lay down next to him, hand caressing his back, his ass, watching Alex through a haze of sleepy satisfaction as the man eventually rolled over.

"You okay?" Jason asked, teasing. He knew the man was fine, judging from the expression on his face.

Alex surprised him by grabbing him by the neck and yanking him forward, kissing him hard. "What do you think?" he answered afterward, pulling Jason against him as he fell back on the pillow, eyes closed, hand combing possessively through his hair.

Jason raised himself up, looking down at him, caressing his chin with a finger before he leaned down and kissed him again. "I think you're just fine."

Alex opened his eyes, grinning at the expression he thought he'd never see. "And you? How do you feel?"

"You were beautiful," Jason said, and waited for Alex to object. Except the man only smiled, closing his eyes again. Jason sighed contentedly against him and let himself doze this time.

**.**

Outside, Daniel and Jack were still making love, enjoying the slippery feel of each other's skin too much to bring it to an end. Neither cared about the rain that pelted down on them, they only cared about how their hands felt around their cocks, or how their cocks felt inside the other. They were now trading off, slowly fucking each other, taking their time, and it was Daniel who finally ended up with his cock inside of Jack when their lust finally reached the ending point.

Jack gripped the edge of the railing, teeth biting into his lip as he bent over and spread his legs, loving how Daniel felt against him, inside him. "Last time," he said, breathing hard, limbs and muscles tired.

"Yes," Daniel whispered, reaching around to take his cock in hand as he thrust. Unlike the other rhythms he'd used, this one was designed to end it and he moved quickly establishing continuously short, rapid strokes. He was almost too tired, too satisfied, enjoying how they'd simply played, not aiming for orgasm, just prolonging the pleasure, but the itch began to burn inside now, and the need began to take over, stalling any feeling of exhaustion. Jack's ass clenched against him convulsively and he gasped, trying to move faster, harder, jerking him with the same eager, desperate speed.

"Shit," Jack suddenly said, his balls drawing up tight as his orgasm took over, spreading a surprising amount of heat through his body, making him just as blind as Alex had been. He laughed suddenly when the thought came that he didn't want this to end.

"Jack, don't laugh," Daniel growled, trying not to laugh in return. He mouthed over his spine, gritting his teeth, his fingers digging into Jack's shoulder, clawing at him as he came. He continued thrusting; like Jack, not wanting it to end. Jack moaned, the vibration tickling his chest. Daniel figured his come had hit Jack's gland and growled at him when Jack ground back against him.

He waited a few moments, then pulled out slowly, turning Jack into his arms afterward, kissing him briefly. It was then that they became aware of the hardness of the rain and it quickly became annoying. It encouraged a sudden energy and they hurried inside. Their skin now cold, damp from rain that wasn't warm and from their cooling lust, Daniel dragged Jack, uncomplaining, into the shower with him to warm up and wash off.

As Daniel washed him, Jack suddenly leaned against the wall, wincing momentarily from the soreness after spending a long hour satisfying each other. "I don't think that deck was too clean, despite the rain."

Daniel nodded with exhausted agreement and after toweling each other half-dry, crawled into bed for a well-deserved nap.

**.**

Alex was acutely embarrassed when Jason grabbed his hand and _held_ it as they walked through the main bungalow's front door. He pulled his hand abruptly from Jason's, trying not to be rude but it felt entirely too weird. Dinner the night before had been okay, and even breakfast that morning. But that had been... _before_.

Jason stopped, looking at Alex carefully, and let his own hand drop to his side, accepting what Alex wanted without asking for explanations. He did have an idea but it was only a guess. Perhaps it was one thing to fuck him, but to _be_ fucked, and by _him_? Perhaps Alex was feeling as if he'd just led Jason to cheat on Jack and Daniel. It wasn't rational, and unfortunately, it was something he thought he'd felt earlier, but now he was more certain. He didn't want to admit it, but Alex was withdrawing, needing his own alone-time.

So Jason didn't ask, didn't question. But it still hurt.

Over breakfast, Daniel and Jack noticed, but said nothing. They'd prepared to tease them some but it was obvious that something was wrong, even that morning. Alex sounded okay, but Daniel _felt_ the withdrawal this time--and he was now certain that what he'd felt this morning was guilt. He cast Jason a few questioning glances but it was easy to see that Jason wouldn't acknowledge it, acting as if he didn't give a damn, when Daniel knew that wasn't true.

After dinner, Alex gave the excuse that he'd wanted to take a walk and Jason let him go. By himself. When he went to the sink to help clean up the dishes, Jack came up and touched his back.

"What's going on?"

Jason shrugged. "Probably just the after-effects of getting fucked."

"He hated it?" Daniel asked, surprised.

"On the contrary. He's probably just feeling guilty."

"For what?" Jack asked.

"For... I don't know."

"Jason," Jack went on, "you let him go off like that. Why?"

Jason shook his head. "It's nothing. Too many emotions from something so intense, I guess. Nothing to worry about. It'll pass. Um, I need some air." He wiped his hands and left them standing there with their mouths agape.

"What the fuck was that all about?" Jack asked, too surprised to actually do anything about it. Yet.

"I think it's probably what Jason said, except that he's dismissing it too quickly. They're obviously feeling too much." He sighed. "We knew that might happen, especially with Alex."

Jack gave a squeeze to Daniel's shoulder, then drew him into his embrace, snuffling his hair. Daniel gripped his arms, feeling tense muscle. Like his own. He stepped away with a huge sigh, rubbing his hand along one of Jack's arms.

"I think they're both about to get their feelings stomped on," Jack told him. "At first I could see only Jason's feelings but now I'm...you know. Bad both ways."

Daniel gave him that pointed, knowing look with the hint of a grin, and rubbed his arm again. "You protective man, you."

Jack frowned at him chidingly. "Daniel, I'm not being protective."

"Yes, you are, and I'm feeling it, too. We don't want them feeling bad. Perhaps it's just too much, and perhaps it's simply inevitable."

Jack sighed. "Which means we get to sit back and watch the fall-out?"

"Yeah, maybe. Much as that sucks."

"No way," Jack said, shaking his head. He was getting an idea about how to fix it, though he was quite sure it was a bad one. "Let's wait a little while. If they haven't talked or fixed the problem, then I mean to do something about it."

"You can't get on Alex about this."

"I'm not going to, but I will alter his perception a little."

"Which is what worries me."

**.**

After sitting up by the cliffs for a while, watching the ocean break against the worn and carved rocks far to his left, Alex got up and headed back. He'd finally gotten over his attack of nerves and guilt and felt he could talk to Jason about it without coming off like an asshole.

Inside their bungalow, he found food dropped off in the kitchen, some on the counter, like wrapped bread, and other stuff in the fridge and freezer. He wondered if Jason put it there, and for what reason. It then hit him that maybe Jason planned on leaving him alone in reaction to what he'd done. When he glanced at the clock, he saw he'd been gone for a few hours and cringed.

Feeling guiltier now, he went to the bedroom and found it empty. He hadn't seen Jason outside so he went to the back of the main bungalow and descended the stairs to the gym. He wasn't there, either. He didn't want to bother Daniel or Jack just yet, especially if Jason was with them, so he went back to his own bungalow. He sat down on the bed and tried to watch some DVDs to pass the time, but just over two hours later, there was still no Jason.

Shutting off the DVD, Alex made his way through the dark to the main bungalow. In the bedroom, he heard a movie playing and Jack and Daniel talking, and hesitated as he walked in the house and knocked on the open bedroom door. He could clearly be seen from the bed so he wasn't surprising either of them, and was especially thankful that they were dressed. Glancing around, he didn't see Jason. Worry started to form a pit in his stomach.

Jack paused the DVD and tapped Daniel's knee, pointing out who was standing there.

"Alex," Daniel greeted.

From the doorway, Alex shifted uncomfortably. "Hi, sorry to bother you."

"You're not. Lose something?" Jack asked blandly.

"Jack," Daniel chided, tapping his knee in return.

Jack rolled his eyes and didn't bother to hide the sarcastic grin. "What's up, Alex?"

"I'm, um, looking for Jason."

"Well, he's not here," Jack said, sliding off the bed with Daniel and coming toward him.

"So you've not seen him?"

"No."

"Oh, okay, thanks." Alex turned to leave but Daniel called him back.

"When did you last see him?" he asked, getting a bad feeling from Alex.

"Dinner," came the guilty reply.

Their eyes were drawn to the clock. Dinner had been around 6. It was now 11. Daniel sighed. "Stay here. I'll go find him. Jack, do me a favor and don't harass Alex while I'm gone, fetching our wandering lover."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Jack said, and headed for the kitchen. "C'mon, Alex. Let's rustle up a late night snack."

Alex wasn't about to say he wasn't hungry. "Okay, sure."

Daniel headed down toward the dock. There were two places he could be, places where Daniel would choose to go if he wanted to be alone. The far end of the beach was likely to be too cold by now, so his second choice was the plane. Sure enough, he spotted him in the pilot's seat, caught by the moon. He went around and opened up the passenger door, startling Jason, though not a lot.

Daniel stared at him as Jason looked away, so he sighed and hoisted himself up and into the seat, closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing?"

"I needed time by myself, Daniel," Jason answered.

"For five hours?" Daniel asked, shifting around and leaning on his knees, facing Jason.

Jason shrugged, though he was alarmed at the fact that he'd been sitting here for five hours. "Didn't know it'd been that long."

"Alex is looking for you."

Jason shrugged again, and Daniel could feel the resignation. "I'll go talk to him when I'm up to it."

"You'll never be up to it at the rate you're going."

Jason finally looked at him, anger in his eyes. "What do you want me to say? I wish he'd never come here, Daniel. It was a big fucking mistake."

"That's what you think I want to hear but you don't wish that, Jason."

"It's what I just fucking said."

"And here we go with the _fucking_ this and _fucking_ that. You're full of it, and you can't lie so..."

Aggravatingly hard reminder, Jason thought, rubbing his eyes. "Shit, Daniel," he said, his voice much quieter, "why do you want me to say it? What's the point? Who's it going to serve?"

"You," Daniel said, reaching out and taking his near hand in both of his. "I know you feel a lot for him, and hate what he did earlier. I don't really _get_ what he did. Is he scared?"

"He's feeling guilty, I think."

"Of?"

"Somehow making me cheat on you and Jack."

Daniel looked back in confusion. "But that's absurd."

"It's what I sense. It's not a phobic reaction, that's long since died when he accepted himself. I think he's feeling guilty for the cheating thing and--"

"You're not cheating!"

"I know that! He doesn't, apparently. _If_ I'm right, he's also feeling guilty for his feelings, like I am. Ones he can't openly give, like I can't."

Daniel closed his eyes.

"I think he's realizing how much it sucks to have a lover he cares about and can't be with, openly or otherwise."

"And you?" Daniel asked. "What're _you_ going through?"

"Daniel..."

"Yes, Jason, I want you to say it."

Jason sighed and said very quietly, "I don't want him to leave, Daniel, but..."

Daniel swallowed and asked, "But?"

Jason turned in his seat, swinging his legs carefully between the seats. Keeping Daniel's hand in his, he inched forward on the seat and reached out to touch his lover's face. "Do you know how much I love you?" he asked softly.

Daniel smiled ingenuously. "I have some idea."

Jason smiled back. "More than anything." He pulled Daniel to the edge of his seat and kissed him lightly, stopping Daniel from interrupting. "I appreciate you indulging me, but I don't need all my fantasies realized, even ones that are possible, like with Alex. I know that somewhere in this indulgence of yours is your own fantasy in wanting to watch me make it with another guy," and he grinned at Daniel knowingly, making him smile and nod with acknowledgment.

"But Alex is first and foremost, my friend. He's the guy I want taking over for me. He can't be my lover and it's another foolish, irresponsible fantasy of mine to have ever thought otherwise. And I did, Daniel. I thought that earlier today. But Alex's actions at dinner woke me up. We can't have it all." He laughed, a bit sadly. "I don't think we could deal with it, anyway."

Daniel sighed and hugged him. "Maybe I shouldn't want to give you everything but..." He pulled back. "Sometimes it's my selfish need to do it, and not _just_ because I want you to feed my kinky fantasies."

Jason smiled as he looked down, eyes averted, but Daniel saw it anyway. He reached up and wiped at his right eyelashes with his thumb. "No, don't do that, Jason. You'll get me going. It'll be too easy, here by ourselves, with no one to see how much of a spectacle we're making of ourselves."

Jason laughed, nodding. "I know," and with a deep sigh, added, "C'mon. I may as well get this over with." He started to get up, but Daniel held him fast. "What?"

"You set things right with Alex, Jason. Don't just go back and listen and then stuff your feelings away."

"What're you saying?"

Daniel held his breath, then said, "I want you to kiss and make up."

"If that's not possible?"

"For whom?" Daniel asked. "Him or you?"

Jason didn't answer.

"Do you want to be with him?"

Jason sighed heavily. "You know the answer. Question is, why are you pushing? Do you _want_ us together?" He couldn't ignore the deeper pit in his stomach any longer. "Is there another _reason_ , perhaps? Like maybe you're setting me up in case something happens..."

Daniel kissed him, hard, remembering what Jason was like when he'd thought they were dead. He didn't want to leave Jason like that ever again. "I'm sorry," he whispered, revealing his feelings in the sound of the words. "I don't want you alone. _If_ anything should ever happen, we need to have someone. The odds are fair it won't happen to all four of us at once."

"And if it should be you and me that buy it?" Jason _had_ to say. "Jack wouldn't last, strong as the man is. He wouldn't go to Alex, Daniel. He wouldn't go to anyone."

Daniel knew what he meant but he had an answer. "If it ends up that way, then there's Adriann."

Jason blinked. "How can you be certain? Adriann's off pirating the universe free of Goa'uld."

Daniel had to smile at the term and the image it conjured. "Perhaps. But we're linked, he and I. Not thoughts across this distance but I think if he were to die, I'd feel it, and vice-versa. I think he'd feel yours, too. I _know_ he'd come to Jack, try to heal him."

If it should come to that, Jason thought, Adriann would have his hands full. "This is why you're pushing us? Just in case? It's unfair to Alex. He needs to find his own life, his own partner, not hinge on what will probably never happen."

Daniel shrugged. "I know, but there'll be a bond between you. I don't want you alone."

Jason shook his head. "And you say Jack's over-protective. I won't be alone, Daniel. Adriann won't leave me alone if it should happen again... for real."

"But Alex--"

"Has to have his own life, Daniel."

Daniel sighed, accepting what Jason said. "But for now? Kiss and make up?"

Jason reluctantly nodded. "What about Jack? Does he agree with this reasoning of yours?"

Daniel cleared his throat. "We've talked about it, Jason. We just never talked about whom. I think he sees now that it's Alex. I know he likes him."

Jason's eyes narrowed doubtfully. "Likes him?"

Daniel smiled with sudden wickedness. "After seeing him between your legs? You should have heard how turned on he was."

Jason started to say something sarcastic to hide the arousal he felt, liking and not liking that idea, when Daniel suddenly groaned.

"What?"

"I just hope he hasn't scared or embarrassed Alex into hiding in your bedroom."

Jason's eyes widened. "You left him alone with Jack?"

"I told him not to harass him," Daniel added quickly, knowing damn well Jack wouldn't do a thing to _harm_ Alex.

Jason laughed sadly. "Right, but did you tell him not to hurt him?"

Daniel gave him a sardonic grin. "It was implied."

"You know better than that, Daniel. C'mon, let's go stop him from doing anything to him."

On their way back, they were holding hands, and Jason suddenly stopped and pulled Daniel back to him. With arms around his waist, he asked, "I know you like watching, and so does Jack, but are you sure about him liking Alex--"

Daniel bit his lip teasingly. "Remember what I said about watching you this morning?"

"But he was with you and--"

"He _likes_ watching you, Jason, no matter who he's with, no matter who _you're_ with. Christ, Jason, haven't you figured that out yet?"

Jason blinked at him, open-mouthed and looked back at the house. "No, apparently I'm brain dead. Wish he'd tell me."

"I'll make sure he does," Daniel said, feeling something entirely arousing at the way Jason looked. "It was hot, you know, watching you two. Didn't watch the whole thing. Couldn't."

"Couldn't?" Jason asked, feeling the heat of Daniel's body suddenly.

"He was _tonguing_ you, Jason," Daniel told him, pressing close, saying the words close to his lips. "That was so fucking hot, and I don't know how long Jack could have watched because I dragged him away, and halfway to the house..." and Daniel paused, touching Jason's groin, "I dropped to my knees, yanked down both our shorts and sucked. Him. Dry."

Jason couldn't move, trying to control himself, but his eyes were half-lidding. "Daniel, if you keep teasing me..."

Daniel laughed gently at Jason's expression, then cleared his throat, his cheeks flushing with arousal at both memories. "I'm sorry, but... I have to be honest with myself, with you. It wasn't _what_ he was doing to you. It was the fact that it was _him_ and he was doing it to _you_." He was going to say something else but Jason cut off his words with one long, passionate kiss... and a very good grip on his ass.

**.**

Jack had a thing about homemade fries. He wasn't about to throw some pre-made bits in the oven. Glancing at Alex, he decided that he wasn't about to let Alex sit at the table and watch--well, watch this, anyway. Stifling a chuckle, he handed him a chopping knife. "Here."

Alex took the knife and studied Jack as he rounded the other side of the butcher block. "If you expect me to open a vein, razors work better."

Jack rolled his eyes. "No, I want you to help me cut up these potatoes, but try not to bleed all over them," and he set about showing him how to cut them up.

Alex waited as they worked, expecting Jack to bitch at him, but he didn't. Instead, Jack was _nice_. Alex was a bit confused, but said nothing as they cut and sliced the potatoes in silence. He was worried about Jason, and about what he must think of him. And Jack and Daniel, for that matter.

After several minutes of silent observation as well as work, Jack finally had to say something. He set the knife down and gave Alex a curious stare. "Listen, it doesn't take a mind reader to know something happened. So what was it?"

Alex looked up, saw the intense worry in Jack's eyes, and grabbed the stool nearby and sat down. "I... I didn't mean to hurt him, Jack."

Jack looked at him blandly but he didn't feel that way in any way. "Is that what you did? Why he's pulled a disappearing act? He was defending you, you know."

Alex cringed. "Shit. There was nothing to defend. I was an asshole. What happened was that I had a stupid panic attack."

"About?"

He stared at his hands and abruptly got up and walked to the sink to wash them off. He couldn't look at Jack. He felt like a shit.

"About?" Jack repeated, going over to stand next to him.

"It's stupid. I shouldn't have panicked over something so stupid."

"What?" Jack said louder.

"He wanted to hold my hand," Alex blurted out, staring at his now-wet hands. "It felt too..."

Jack suddenly knew what was wrong. It hit him like all his sudden feelings or epiphanies did. His version of Daniel's empathy or Jason's intuition. Like a smack between the eyes. It had happened with Daniel when he'd realized what a fuck-up he'd been. Jack had never been good with introspection. He accepted what he had, went after what he could, and ignored the rest until he had to deal with it. Until his relationship with Jason. Daniel had made him _think_ about his feelings.

This had as much to do with guilt as it did with what Alex was being forced to confront: to accept what he couldn't have, and Alex didn't like it. Jack had been afraid that this would happen, as had Jason and Daniel. They hadn't been fair on him and Jason had been right, damn him. This should never have happened but it was water over the bridge now.

"So basically, holding hands was too much like being together and you ran."

"You can see that?" Alex asked, going white as he turned and stared at him.

"Not criticizing, Alex, believe me. I can also see that you feel guilty, as if Jason's cheating on Daniel and me." The dumbfounded look, Jack decided, was not a good look on Alex. "It's not that hard to figure out, Alex. I can see it, Daniel can see it, and more importantly, so can Jason. You need to talk to us--well, Jason anyway. Hell, I had to learn how or Daniel wouldn't have stuck with me."

Jack's earlier idea altered slightly; it really was stupid, and insane. And above all, selfish. He should leave the situation alone but... he didn't _want_ to. Nothing he did would really help, but maybe he could refocus it or ...something. It _could_ , at least, diminish whatever guilt Alex was feeling, and whatever helped Alex, helped Jason. Jack genuinely wanted to help Alex... though he wasn't certain this was helping anyone but himself really. Daniel and Jason would either get annoyed or aroused, depending on how this went.

He waited until Alex was finished washing then washed his own hands. Tossing the paper towel away, he approached Alex's side of the island, where the man had returned.

"I feel so stupid," Alex said, glancing at him as he arranged potato slices on the pan Jack had set aside. "I didn't know I was that easy to read."

"Not normally, but since you've been here? Yeah, you're a little too... embarrassed." Jack shrugged. "We make you uncomfortable."

"No, no," Alex protested, shaking his head. "It's not that, it's just... I feel like an intruder, in every sense."

"Ah. Alex, look at me," Jack said, turning him to face him, keeping his hands on his shoulders.

Alex wanted to look away but something about Jack's eyes and the way he looked at you... "What is it? You can't make me feel any worse."

"I'm not trying to. Listen, I'm sorry this is freaking you out. None of us meant to hurt you, especially Jason."

"I'm not hurt by your actions, Jack. Just the situation sucks. I didn't _believe_ , Jason. I never would have believed that I'd react so stupidly after..." He cleared his throat.

"After having sex with him?"

Alex _was_ able to look away then. "Not me with him but..."

"Oh. Well, it's the general asinine consensus that men aren't supposed to get emotionally attached after having sex, but that's an opinion based on the straight world, not the gay one." Alex's browline rose. "In fact, it's quite another matter when someone's inside you, isn't it?"

Alex was suddenly both hot and cold; feverish. It lasted about five seconds before he got himself under control. A memory flash, feeling Jason inside him. God. The only answer to Jack's question was a nod. He couldn't say anything.

"You know what? _I_ wasn't able to ignore him, either, even though I tried."

Alex gawked at the personal admission. He'd never have guessed this in a million years.

"I didn't love him at the beginning and he didn't love me," Jack went on. "Surprised that I'll talk to you about this?"

"You could say that," Alex said, breathing out a short laugh. "Why tell me anything?"

"You're in love with him," Jack said simply.

Alex looked down, shaking his head. There was nothing to say to that.

Jack shook him a little to get his attention. "Neither Jason nor I was ready for a three-way relationship. I don't think anyone is." Jack paused, unsure why he telling Alex any of this, but 'in for a penny'. He'd started this, he may as well have his say. "I didn't think so at the time, but in retrospect, it was easy for me to fall in love with him; didn't take long, amazingly enough. Usually does with me. I didn't fall for him because of Daniel, though that's what Jason thought at first and it took him a long time to believe me. I fell for him for who he is. I'll do anything for him, including... allowing him the freedom to be with you."

Alex colored then and tried to step away but Jack wouldn't let him. "Just... listen. I don't expect you to understand or accept what I'm saying. You're not used to this... sort of thing... whatever it is. We are. Adriann's a good example." Jack was then aware of how... _alive_ the man felt under his hands; aware of the heat coming from him, and the arousal he was feeling because of it. The man's flushed cheeks were a strange turn-on, but still, something he was beginning to accept without questioning it to death. "It _is_ different with you, between you and Jason. I can see why... he loves you."

Alex didn't understand why he didn't want Jack holding him, not until Jack refused to let him go. Arousal, deep and raw, began to flow through him like a wildfire. At Jack's last words, he realized that the man was actually flirting with him. It wasn't anything like before. That was teasing. This... wasn't.

Jack seized the moment. His right hand moved with confidence up Alex's arm to his shoulder and behind his neck. He held him without _holding_ him, and felt Alex tense in shock and surprise when he pulled him in and firmly... kissed him. Alex's curved lips were warm, sensuous, and inviting, and Jack kissed him a little harder, parting his lips to incite Alex to open his. There was a sound, like a sigh of want, as Alex opened to him, and Jack slipped his tongue into his mouth and deepened the kiss. In the back of his mind, there was amusement; Alex wasn't allowing himself to respond. He was frozen in surprise.

At first, Alex brought both hands up to push Jack away but they stopped, hovering uselessly in the air. He was confused, arousal telling him to kiss back and guilt that he was somehow cheating on Jason. Jack was kissing him, and his eyes were _closed_. It went on for five seconds, ten, fifteen, and when Jack opened his mouth, Alex couldn't help but reflexively opened his--then Jack's tongue was in his mouth and Alex was aware, absently, that his left hand had dropped to the butcher block, clutching then crushing potatoes in his hand.

A shrill voice inside his mind was telling him to respond, to give in, to give it back ten fold, to just _feel_ , but he wasn't used to doing that, and he certainly couldn't make himself believe that _Jack O'Neill_ was kissing him. Indecision warred and the clear victor was fear. Just as suddenly as Jack had kissed him, he let him go and took a step back. He was rubbing his lips together, looking at Alex's as if he were making another decision. Still Alex couldn't move... except for what his hand was doing to the potato slices.

"Nice," Jack said with a charmingly smug smile.

Alex's wide eyes felt the heat as his cheeks burned with desire and shock. His mouth remained open and he stared numbly at Jack's. What the hell was the matter with him? He loved Jason, didn't he? He wanted _only_ Jason ten minutes ago but... now...

"Holy shit," Alex whispered.

"Is that a compliment or a curse?" Jack asked, his grin widening.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to. And because I can. And because I wanted you to stop feeling guilty over something that doesn't exist. If Daniel lays one on you will that make it worse or better?"

"Daniel?" Alex whispered. He felt like Alice down the rabbit hole.

"Do me a favor?"

Alex's befuddled mind could only imagine what and it went straight into the gutter. Take off his clothes? Sure, no problem. Lie down on the table? Sure, no problem. Drop to his knees? No problem. Kiss him again? No fucking problem.

"What?"

"Make up with Jason."

Sudden movement caused Alex to push aside the mixture of disappointment and elation as he jumped and stepped back with even more guilt. He also noted that Jack didn't look at all guilty.

Jack knew he shouldn't find this amusing, but he couldn't help it. The interruption was Daniel and Jason coming through the side doors.

One look at Alex's stunned face and Jason turned to Jack with a suspicious expression. "What'd you say... or do?"

"Jason, it's nothing, I'm fine," Alex answered quickly, finally coming out of his shock to register that Jason was _there_.

"C'mon," Jason said, narrowing his eyes. "We'll be back, guys. Just gonna have a chat in the bedroom."

"Jason?" Jack said, the question there but unasked.

Jason paused mid-step and gave Jack a long look. "I'm okay, Jack." He glanced at Daniel, then deliberately took Alex by the hand and led him toward the bedroom.

After they left, Daniel pointedly made a quick study of Jack's face and bit the side of his lip and smiled.

Jack caught the look. "What?"

"You've been a very, very bad boy, haven't you, Jack? Tell me, what was the point in kissing him?"

"How do you know..." Jack started to say but he'd kissed Alex deeply. There was obvious evidence. "Are you mad?" he tested. "I can't tell." He couldn't either and it was frustrating.

Daniel snorted, "No, just answer the question."

"It'll sound stupid, but... I wanted to."

"It doesn't sound stupid," Daniel said, remembering their reactions this morning. "Is that the only reason?"

"And maybe it might make him feel less guilty. I think it's made it worse."

Daniel waved that away. "Jason'll fix that." He fixed a leer on Jack, however. "But that was awfully twisted of you, even if I can see why you did it."

"Hmmm. Well, bet that as it may, I haven't figured out how to solve the other problem."

"And that would be?"

"How to keep Alex from feeling abandoned."

Daniel nodded. "Me, neither."

Jack grimaced. "Jason was right."

"He was, and we're assholes."

"Well-intentioned assholes," Jack amended.

"Road to hell, et cetera."

"Yeah, at least."

They both sighed, then Daniel reached up and brushed Jack's lips with his thumb. "One thing's for certain though."

"What's that?"

"If you tried to seduce him right now, I believe you'd get a shocked but very willing lover." Daniel's lips quirked with more amusement and love. "Not that I blame him one damn bit." Jack's reaction made the amusement increase and he laughed. Jack simply didn't _recognize_ his gift for seducing others, and boy, the man had a gift.

"How do you figure?" Jack asked.

"You made him hard, Jack. That man walked out of here with a huge hard-on."

Jack was speechless and embarrassed for about five seconds. His expression became teasing. "Nice of _you_ to notice."

"Ah huh. Stop trying to get around me," he said, making Jack laugh. "So why weren't you looking down?"

"I was too busy staring at his mouth. Nice lips, nice kisser. He'd be better if he..."

"If he... what?" Daniel asked.

"Kissed back," Jack answered, licking his lips.

"He didn't kiss you back?"

"No, he went into shock and stayed there. In fact, his only response was 'Holy Shit' and 'why', if I remember correctly."

Daniel liked this better and better. "Huh. Well, kiss him again and I'll bet you he'll respond."

"Not likely to happen, me kissing him again, I mean."

"Hands didn't travel anywhere?"

"Should they have?" Jack baited, and Daniel grabbed his ass and pulled him in, kissing him deeply, forcing Jack to break away for air. He rubbed against him. "You _feel_ jealous, Daniel."

Daniel tried to hide the grin but knew Jack saw it anyway. "Just claiming my territory, a trait you're very familiar with by the way."

"That so?"

"Mmm hmmm," Daniel told him, adding, "which I feel needs to be reaffirmed," and he kissed Jack again, pushing him back with his own body until Jack hit a solid wall. "So, just what did you think, kissing him? Be very careful with your answer."

"That..." Jack started, grinning madly as he prepared for attack, "it was interesting?"

"How interesting?" Daniel asked as his hand slid down Jack's body to find out. " _This_ interesting?"

"Bastard," Jack said gruffly as he pushed into Daniel's hand.

"I can't believe you kissed him," Daniel said with a mischievous grin. "Next thing you know, you'll be asking to fuck him."

Jack didn't reply. He couldn't. Well, not with Daniel's tongue down his throat. What amused Jack was that Daniel had inadvertently aroused himself by the words.

**.**

Jason let Alex's hand go as he closed the door behind him, then placed his hands on his hips and stared at him. Alex ran his hands through his hair and walked away from him, shaking his head. "I can't believe..."

Jason wanted to _ask_ , but the smudged look of Alex's lips was a dead give away. "So... he kissed you."

Alex let out a small, hysterical laugh as he turned to face him. "We were talking... about you... and I was standing there. He started to actually um...flirt with me... and he just..."

Jason grinned at Alex's state of shock and felt guilty for finding it funny. Like Jack had thought earlier, Jason was used to being startled like that, used to acting in response. Alex wasn't, not by a long shot. Dismissing that discussion for later, Jason's next thought was _why_. There was always a reason, and in Jason's experiences with Jack, kissing someone who wasn't his lover wasn't a case of 'just because'. Well, mostly. It was easy to _see_ why Jack would do that, but the man never did anything without quickly thinking through the angles, no matter how flip or sudden his decisions appeared to anyone else.

He turned his attention back on Alex and found him frowning at him. "What?"

"This doesn't bother you," Alex said, realizing that with almost as much shock.

"Um, no," Jason answered, disconcerted by Alex's obvious reaction. "Does it really bother you that much that I'm not jealous or upset?"

Alex turned away, thinking. Did it bother him? Yes, he had to say it did. "Why doesn't it bother you?" he asked finally, avoiding answering the obvious.

With a deep sigh, Jason said, "Because I know him. He did it for a reason, not out of any urge to shock you or play any games. Even if the only reason was just because he wanted to, I don't think I should feel jealous for that. Should I be? Would it make you feel better if I were?"

"Well..." Alex started, even more confused. "Um, yeah, I guess. I don't know. It's just weird that you don't seem to be."

"I can't say I'm _never_ jealous, Alex, but right now, no, I'm not. I'm wondering why he did it, and I'm wondering why you're this upset about it."

"I'm not upset."

Jason gave him a challenging look. "Yes, Alex, you are. It's kind of..." and he grinned mischievously, "a bit amusing."

" _Amusing_?" Alex asked, starting to feel defensive.

"Yeah." Jason deliberately looked down his body, then up. "Your _reaction_ to his kissing you isn't exactly a mystery."

Alex turned around, wishing his dick would calm down. "I couldn't help that."

Jason had to bite his lips to keep from further antagonizing the man with another laugh. "Like I said last night, Alex, he often gets me worked up like that." He paused, walking around him to see Alex's face, but Alex kept turning away from him. Finally Jason stopped and decided to goad. "He kisses good, doesn't he?"

"Jason!" Alex dissembled, not answering, which only made things worse because he sensed that Jason was gearing up for a major tease. "You should be jealous."

"I'm not."

"I _know_."

"And you're angry with me, and angry at yourself for being so turned on. You shouldn't be, and there's no need to feel guilty about it, either."

"I'm not--" Alex protested as he swung round to confront Jason but Jason suddenly yanked him in his arms and was kissing the hell out of him. Alex didn't hesitate with him and responded with fierce hunger, using the desire Jack had worked up within him.

He was suddenly aware of being pushed backward... and backward... and all his mind could scream was _Yes!_ There was a closing of a door and he knew he was in the bathroom, pressed against the wall, and Jason's hand was in his shorts, stroking him quick and rough. He broke the kiss, needing to breath, needing to feel, and offered his throat long after Jason was biting every inch of it.

"You love this," Jason whispered harshly in his ear as he stroked with one hand and explored with the other. He could feel the tension and repressed lust and it made him work all the harder at releasing it. "And you loved it when he kissed you, loved feeling his tongue in your mouth."

"Yes," Alex answered automatically, thrusting into Jason's hand as he pushed his own shorts down noticing absently how Jason didn't seem interested in his own pleasure, intent only on giving Alex his. Selfishly, Alex let Jason do what he wanted.

"You want more, too, don't you?" Jason pushed, stroking faster when Alex answered _Yes_. "Want him to fuck you, too, don't you?" He felt Alex tense, knowing he was rejecting the question, but Jason made him admit it. "Don't you?" he said, pumping harder, twisting, thumb riding the head.

"Fuck!" Alex whispered, the ache and need clear in his voice.

"You want to feel his cock stroking your ass," Jason provoked and received a raspy groan in response. With an abrupt need, Jason slid down his body and when his knees reached the floor, Alex's cock was in his mouth. His hand slid behind at the same moment, finger sliding effortlessly between his cleft and into his ass.

Alex's cry combined with the painful twisting of his fingers in Jason's hair, and Jason was only encouraged further. He fucked him rough and dirty with his finger while he swallowed the orgasm from Alex's body. His lover shouted as he came, frantically scrambling to keep his feet while his hips uncontrollably thrust his cock down Jason's throat.

Jason milked his lover, not pulling away until Alex's cock began to soften, and after bringing his shorts back up, he pulled Alex down to him. He nuzzled him, kissed him, and held him in his arms, waiting for Alex to speak.

"Why'd you do that?" Alex asked finally, his voice soft, sounding more awed than sated.

Jason smiled against his cheek. "Because you wanted it, needed it, and I loved doing it. Any other silly questions?"

"No," Alex replied with a sheepish laugh.

"What did Jack tell you after kissed you?" Jason suddenly asked.

"He wanted me to stop feeling guilty."

That's what Jason thought. "And?"

"I did," Alex replied, though there was still a twinge left over.

"Good." He added after a second, "I should've gone after you when you left."

Alex shrugged. "Done and dusted, Jason. You were right and I was wrong."

Jason sighed again, this time with futility. "No. Neither of us were _wrong_. I had my fears about what would happen between us. We feel a lot more than we thought we would. There's no harm there really but it caused you to panic and for that, I'm very sorry." Alex tried to contradict him but Jason shushed him with a soft kiss. While he hated having to suggest it, he had no choice. "We can stop this right now, if you want, before it goes any further. No recriminations or blame."

"Do you want to?" Alex evaded, stiffening in his arms.

"Alex, don't do that. This is your decision, not mine."

Alex took perhaps thirty seconds to think it over. "It's both, Jason. What happened is between us both. It also can't be undone nor do I want it to be. I don't want to stop, but the problem is, I don't want to stop being with you after I leave. I know that's what you were afraid of, what _they_ were afraid of. It'll be hard, Jason, but I can do it. It'll just take time."

"Why were you so adamant that it wouldn't happen? What changed?"

Alex closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said it. "At the risk of sounding like a stereotype, it changed the minute I felt you inside me."

Jason's cheeks actually flushed this time. He understood how Alex felt, but he was more experienced in dealing with it. He held him tighter, rubbing his back.

"Should've kept my mouth shut," Alex suddenly said.

"Never hold back with me, Alex. We're friends, always."

"Even if..."

"Even if. We'll deal."

"We?"

"We. It's not just you, Alex."

"Oh," Alex whispered.

With a sigh, Jason's thoughts suddenly returned to the kiss and Alex's reaction. Correction. Reaction _s_. He gave Alex a knowing grin. "So... about that kiss."

Alex laughed nervously, surprised and strangely aroused by Jason's interest. "What about it?"

"Tell me about it."

Alex realized that Jason actually _wanted_ to know; he wasn't just teasing or playing with him. "I just stood there and let him kiss me," and he laughed again, this time derisively, "I can't believe how I reacted, Jason."

"Getting a hard-on from Jack kissing you is normal, Alex," he said with amusement.

"It wasn't _that_."

"Shock is normal, too."

"Yeah, except I stood there like a fucking 16 year old virgin _girl_." He pulled away a bit and showed Jason exactly what Jack did. Exactly. When Jason's arms started to go around him and he started to kiss him back, Alex let go. "See, _that's_ what I should've done, but I _didn't_. I just fucking _stood_ there." He shook his head in disgust. "I can't believe I just froze like that."

Jason closed his eyes for a second, remembering how his first kiss with Jack sent his toes curling under him. He opened his eyes, lifted Alex's chin and kissed him lightly. "The first time Jack kissed me wasn't Jack's idea. At least with you, it was."

Alex frowned. "Wasn't his idea?"

Jason sighed. "Daniel did it, directed it. He wanted us to kiss because Jack had kissed him when we were missing off-world."

Alex groaned, remembering that awful headache when he'd awoken in the infirmary. "Oh yeah, I remember that. Jack came down and wheeled you out of the ward to go visit Daniel."

Jason frowned. "You were in the next ward over. How'd you know that?"

"I'd asked Doctor Fraiser where you were and she told me."

"Oh. Well, anyway, that night was Daniel's birthday and since I was already turned on by the idea of being with Jack, I kissed him first. Or rather, I led the kiss. Jack kissed me back and when he did..." Jason smiled. "I kind of forgot for a few moments that Daniel was there." He shook it off and tried to be more serious... sort of. "Point is... Jack can muddle anyone's mind so stop worrying how much you froze up. If..."

Jason had to stop his motor mouth and abruptly stopped talking. He was so used to spilling his ideas to Daniel and Jack. Alex wasn't them and he had to stop treating him as if he were.

"If what?"

"Nothing," Jason lied, smiling at him. "Lost my train of thought, thinking about back then. As I was saying, Jack can muddle anyone's mind. The man has a talent for seduction when he wants to use it. When he kisses you, all you want to do is _feel_ and it takes a while to _remember_ to give back."

"You didn't freeze up, Jason," Alex said with self-disgust.

"Alex, how many men have you kissed? How much experience do you have in situations like that?"

Alex rolled his eyes, conceding. "Okay, little point there."

"Exactly. Stop beating yourself up. Now, one more question."

Alex took in a deep breath. "Hit me."

Jason smiled at him and removed his fingers from his chin, tracing a line down his throat, over his chest, his abdomen.

"Would you like to do something with him?"

Alex swallowed in surprise. "Jason, you can't ask me... I mean, why would you... I mean... Oh shit, what does it matter? He kissed me. I didn't ask him to fuck me." Thoughts matched words and his cheeks flushed again. It made him feel like an idiot. "Dammit."

Jason kissed him again, more firmly, and when he broke away, he said, "Never mind, Alex. I'm sorry."

Alex swallowed again, still feeling surprise. "Don't, Jason. It's okay." He paused for a minute, then asked, "The idea gets you off, doesn't it?"

Jason nodded slowly, "Except it's not why I asked."

"Why did you?"

Jason looked into his eyes, not answering right away. "Because I sensed there was something unfinished that you wanted from him."

"Maybe," Alex conceded.

"Maybe... what?"

"Maybe I wanted the chance to kiss him back."

Jason couldn't help it and grinned wickedly. "That's _all_?"

Alex didn't answer him. Instead, he kissed Jason as thoroughly as he could manage.

When they broke apart and stood up, Alex suddenly announced, "When we get over to our bungalow, we'll need to shower."

Jason frowned comically as he sniffed his underarms. "I don't smell." He leaned in and inhaled, then said more seductively, "You don't, either."

Alex pushed at him. "I had potato starch on my hands and clothes. And now, it's all over you."

"Oh," Jason said, biting his lip. "S'okay. I'd love to share a shower though so don't even think about going it alone." The meaning was implicit and Alex grinned knowingly.

"Deal."

"C'mon. Let's go make home fries."

"And if they're um, busy?"

"We'll turn around and leave. Unless you'd like to watch?"

Alex wished fervently that Jason would stop doing that and that he'd stop making him fucking blush. "Maybe later," he said facetiously, though part of him wasn't kidding. He wondered then if Jason guessed that.

**.**

Daniel and Jack were busy with the potatoes, not each other, and Jason gave Alex a wink, receiving a glare in return which made him grin in victory. Turning his attention back to the kitchen, and his lovers, Jason recognized the disheveled look.

"So, is there enough?"

"Of what?" Jack asked, licking salt off his thumb pad. When his eyes traveled to Alex, Jason walked behind him and slapped his ass.

"Behave."

Jack grinned wider, eyes on Daniel. "Where's the fun in that?"

Alex went round to stand next to Daniel as standing next to Jack was doing fluttery things to his stomach. He wanted to leave and take that shower, with perhaps a few filthy suggestions from Jason in his ear. Clearing his throat, he raised his gaze to Daniel's and when the man looked at him, Alex was glad to note that he returned his enigmatic grin without blushing.

"You okay?" Daniel asked.

"Fine."

"So we heard," Jack said and received another slap on the ass.

Daniel looked up, exchanging smirks with Jason. "Perhaps I need to chain him to the bed for a while."

Jason groaned. "Daniel, don't make me miss out."

With a purposely filthy expression, Daniel gave Alex a wink. "Just because Jason's with you, doesn't mean he's missing _anything_."

The allusion was not lost on Alex and he allowed a smile, thinking about what he said.

**.**

After the snacks were baked and divided, Jason handed Alex their share, including the condiments they didn't have in their own fridge. "I'll be there in a minute, Alex. I just need a word."

Alex nodded, wanting to ask if anything was wrong but didn't dare. "Sure," he said lightly. "'Night, Jack, Daniel," and walked out without a look back. He couldn't really take another teasing look from Jack. He'd been hard for the last half-hour.

Turning to his lovers, Jason folded his arms and gave Jack a focused look. "Okay, Jack, out with it."

"What'd I do?" Jack said, exchanging a hopeful glance in Daniel's direction but was met with a smirk instead. "Traitor," he mumbled.

"What's on your mind, Jack?" Daniel asked, pretending he hadn't heard.

"Who said anything was on my mind?" Jack contradicted, but he knew he wasn't fooling them.

"You two," Jason said, shaking his head.

Daniel looked at him and was going to say, "What'd I do?" just like Jack, but that would've been silly. Instead, he shrugged and went around the island, taking Jason's hand. "Alex is a little more open than he was, but I thought I'd help in case you want to do anything... _adventurous_ tomorrow."

"There's always tonight."

Jack glanced at the clock. "It's just after 1 in the morning, Jace."

"And that's stopped us... when?" Jason asked.

"Good point," Jack replied, meaning _never mind_.

"So, what's on your mind, Jack?" Daniel repeated.

Jack did have an idea and he got it watching Alex; the operative word being 'watch'. Problem was, he felt as if the idea was something he _shouldn't_ have and hated that. The idea had more to do with indulging himself and throwing caution to the wind. He was tired of hiding his feelings and thoughts while they were here, and unfortunately, Alex had been forcing him to do just that.

"It's serious, but not _serious_ serious," he said, carefully selecting his words.

Daniel and Jason looked at each other, shaking their heads. Jack meant his feelings. "Jack," Daniel started, " _when_ are you going to accept that your feelings in anything are serious?"

"Daniel--"

"Jack, they're serious to me and Jason if not to yourself. Get over it."

Jack made a growling sound. "Fine. May I continue?" he asked. He should have avoided the 'serious' thing. He knew better.

Jason rolled his eyes and Daniel gestured. "Let us have it."

Jack cleared his throat, deciding to just say it. "Since Alex has been here, I've been having to hide my feelings." They frowned in confusion and Jack cringed. "Sorry, that's probably too vague. I mean that since planning this vacation, I've been _in the mood_ every damn day and since we've been here, I've had a great time. _But_ because Alex is here, I'm suddenly having to hide my feelings again. It's my vacation, too, and if he doesn't like the flirting, too bad. I'm not apologizing for it, Jason."

"I don't expect or want you to," Jason told him. "Neither does he. He's not a prude, Jack. He's just not used to this. I never, ever expect you to hide who you are."

Jack knew he was being more ornery than he needed to be but he was making a point. He could see his lovers understood that. "We're here specifically to do whatever the hell we want, and we're suddenly put on hold for three days. I hate that, gentlemen."

He was greeted with guilty looks. Both Daniel and Jason had been covering for Alex, because he wasn't part of their relationship, and Jack was right. They'd been holding back, not doing whatever the hell they wanted to, going against what they were on the island for.

Jason sighed. "He's got one more day, so it's time to let Alex know that he can do whatever the hell he wants, too." He took Jack's hand in his. "Sorry. I didn't have a problem with you kissing Alex, you know. Or anything else, either. I kind of thought you'd prefer to keep things separate. Sorry."

"Don't be, Jace," Jack told him. "I'm just saying that starting now, there shouldn't be anymore hiding. If we're fucking in the living room, he can watch or leave or go in the kitchen, I don't care, but I'm no longer keeping my shit hidden." He gave Daniel a very direct look. "That includes fucking on the deck in the middle of a rain storm," and he winked at Jason, who grinned with pleasant surprise.

"Daniel and I went out back instead of remaining out front where we had been and we moved _because_ Alex was down on the beach with you. I didn't question it then, too used to being careful, but I don't want this to be a repetition of our home life. I want this vacation to be different. No more careful, guys, not with Alex, not when Stef shows up. Agreed?"

"Agreed," his lovers answered in stereo, making him grin.

"Always nice to know we're on the same page," he quipped.

"What do you want to do, Jack?" Jason asked slowly. It had to do with Alex one way or another.

"Have you ever told Alex that we like to watch each other?" Jack asked.

Jason and Daniel exchanged looks, their mouths twitching.

"I've mentioned it, but not in a serious way. I've hinted that you _would_ , given the opportunity." He let his mouth turn up in amusement.

"Okay, well..." Jack looked at Daniel, then back at Jason. "If you're not opposed..."

"I'm not," Jason answered, feeling that warm flush spread over his inner thighs.

"And you ask Alex and _he's_ not opposed, then leave your bedroom door open. If he is, then close it. That way... I'll know."

"We'll know," Daniel corrected, starting to like the idea. "But how will Alex react?"

"I don't think he'd object... _but_ from what I've been able to tell with him, he's not ready for _overt_ watching. No standing in front of the bed and watching, in other words," he said with a big grin. "But considering that he's open to ideas more than he was yesterday..."

"Is he?" Jack asked.

Daniel didn't fight back the evil smile. "Because you kissed him no doubt."

"You heard him earlier, I take it?" Jason asked.

They nodded with a grin and Daniel nudged Jack. "Told you he'd fix it."

"Hush," Jack warned, making Daniel stick his tongue between his teeth to keep from laughing.

"Let me just say that Jack was the topic when I forced that shout from him."

Jack's eyes darkened. "Really." It wasn't a question.

"Really. I'll just have the gauze curtains down, which you can still see through."

Jack cleared his throat, actually liking this idea more and more.

Jason grinned and kissing him lightly. "I think this will work... especially considering how _hard_ you made him... twice." He abruptly cupped and squeezed Jack's cock, making the man bite his lip through a filthy, smug grin.

"Is that so?" Jack asked facetiously.

Jason gave Daniel a kiss and walked away. Over his shoulder, he said, "You're not the only one who wants this."

After he left, Daniel picked up their share of fries and walked to the bedroom, Jack following. "Think we could put off eating these for a while?"

Jack grinned as he purposely reached around him and picked up a fry. "We can reheat what's left," he said, eating it. "Why don't we work ourselves up first and give Jason a chance to do the same to Alex."

"It never takes Jason long to do that," Daniel reminded him.

"True."

**.**

Standing by the dresser, Alex glanced at Jason as the man undressed for the shower and thought about the reason he'd been invited there and the hints he'd taken from both Daniel and Jack. Including the more subtle ones. His hard-on hadn't gone down much, either.

"Alex, something on your mind?" Jason asked, knowing damn well there was.

"You could say that," Alex replied and with a deep breath, he purposely stopped thinking and checking his feelings. It wasn't easy to let go, to let himself think of his sexual needs and wants and nothing else. But he was beginning to see why Jason, Jack, and Daniel took this vacation. The feelings he allowed were freeing in a way he liked. A lot.

He still wasn't used to it, though, so his actions, new and nearly _over_ -exciting, had him shaking a little as he walked slowly to the chiffonier and opened it up to finally _look_ at what was inside. If he was here to play, that's exactly what he should be doing. He knew about some of the kink toys, though he'd never used much except for scarves for tying up. Opening a shallow drawer on the left, he held his breath at the array of different dildos.

"Enlighten me?" Jason asked, walking up behind him. Naked. When Alex looked over his shoulder, Jason saw the dilated pupils. "Find something?"

"I'm... looking for..."  Swallowing back his hesitation, he pulled out a purple dildo, one with well-defined corkscrew ridges and a bent, narrow tip. "Something like this."

Jason held his breath as he took it from him, saying nothing. "Have you ever used one before?"

Alex shook his head as he opened the top of the large drawers and without looking, picked up the set of restraints he'd found the night before. He held them up. "Haven't ever used these before, either." He met Jason's darkening gaze. "But it's time." He brushed purposely against Jason as he took the restraints to the bed and dropped them on the pillow. "These are for me, Jace."

Jason felt his cock harden quickly as he watched Alex strip off his clothes. "You're sure?"

"Quite sure," he said and walked toward him without embarrassment.

Jason held out his hand. "Tell me."

Alex took his hand and led him to the bathroom. He turned on the shower, then pulled Jason inside, not wasting time and kissing him deeply. When he broke for air, he said, "I want to wash you, I want you to wash me, then I want you to use this..." and he lifted Jason's hand holding the dildo, "and get me ready."

"For?" Jason breathed. He knew what for, but he wanted to hear Alex say it. Alex grinned at him seductively so Alex knew, too. "I want you to tie me to the bed and fuck me."

"Face up or face down?" Jason breathed.

Alex turned on the water, testing it. "Face up. I want to see you this time."

Pulling them under the water, Jason teased him, sliding the tip of the dildo over his chest and down his body. "Alex, I need to ask you something. A favor."

"Ask."

"Would it bother you if Jack and Daniel watched us?"

Alex felt a shudder wrack through him. "Watched you fuck me?"

"Yes, from the doorway," he said, drawing the length of the dildo over his lover's shaft. "We could have the curtains drawn so we're partially obscured."

"And?" Alex asked, knowing Jason well enough to know there was an 'and'.

"I _want_ them to watch us," he said huskily, and at Alex's strange expression, he added, "It would be hot as hell and... I think Jack wants to watch _you_."

Alex closed his eyes and brought the dildo to his ass with obvious impatience. "Open me," he whispered and Jason kissed him into the wall.

**.**

Daniel thrust upward, aching with the need to come but Jack wouldn't let him. His mouth surrounded his cock easily, sucking him again and again, backing off just before orgasm. "Bastard," he said, groaning as Jack removed his fingers.

"I think you're ready," Jack teased, though he himself had been ready since he'd thought of watching Jason and Alex.

"Way past ready," Daniel answered, and rolled off the bed, taking Jack by the hand and dragging him behind him.

**.**

Breathing hard, body sweating, Alex felt like a quivering mess as he tried to move the restraints buckled around his wrists. They felt nothing like scarves. _Nothing_. Despite the obvious difference, he felt _secured_ , almost free in a way.

Jason hadn't wasted any time tying him to the bed, pushing up his legs, biting along the backs of his thighs, rimming him. He'd taken an awfully--wonderfully--long time doing that before kneeling between his legs and sheathing his cock inside him. It had been easier than before and the preparation Jason had given him was solely responsible.

Alex was as relaxed as he could be while his body was tense and rigid with pleasure. The sensation of being tied up with Jason's cock inside him was fucking astounding. He felt free to buck and squirm, tease Jason by making him work to hold him down as he tried to _thrust_.

As he was doing now. "Alex, you're being very bad," Jason warned through a devilish smile. "I'll have to pin you down."

Alex's eyes dilated even more as they half-lidded. "Think you can?" he dared, breathing hard.

Jason only smiled as he held Alex's thighs in the crooks of his arms and made one long thrust. Watching Alex bite his lip was heaven. "Try your teasing now," Jason dared, and when Alex bucked, he only drove Jason's cock deeper, and when he squirmed, the same thing happened again. Jason started to laugh softly. "Keep doing that, Alex. You'll save me the work."

Alex groaned. "Bastard. If it's work you want, you can go home."

Jason laughed again and bent over, pushing his cock deeper as he laid down and kissed him. "How do you feel?" he asked, softly biting his chin.

"Good," Alex breathed. "So fucking good."

"Now you know why I like it."

"I want to do this to you tomorrow."

"Already planned, Alex," Jason said as he moved to his lips. "Already planned."

Alex moved again and found that no matter what he really did, he could only move his body with Jason's, and his cock moved only when Jason wanted and not before. It was so damn good and Alex wanted it to last forever.

"God, you're gorgeous," Jason said, thrusting slow as he recognized the complete surrender of Alex's body as well as his mind.

"God, Jason," Alex breathed. "Feels so damn good."

"If you like this, you'll love the rest," Jason said, the tone hinting at something, and Alex's brow furrowed with the unspoken question... until he realized that the dark blur to his right was _moving_. He finally looked over, having ignored everything but Jason.

Through the Egyptian gauze, his eyes locked on the _slightly_ obscured and very recognizable forms of Daniel and Jack. _Naked_ Daniel and Jack.

"Oh god," he breathed, barely audible. Both men held onto the door frame over their heads, and Daniel was standing in front of Jack, legs spread. He was moving backward while Jack moved forward and Alex was suddenly aware of their breathing. They were fucking. In front of him. Watching Jason fuck _him_. And their rhythms were matching.

Alex couldn't take his eyes from them. "Oh god, Jason," he whispered. "Fuck me."

Jason smiled and closed his eyes, letting his head drop back, thrusting just a little harder, loving how Alex made those little sounds. After a minute, he asked, "They're gorgeous, aren't they?"

Alex swallowed hard. "Yes."

"You like them watching you." _Not_ a question.

"Fuck yes," Alex whispered, amazed, bewildered, stunned. He _did_ like it, and most especially because _Jack_ was watching him.

"It's time to give them a show, make them come. Make you come," Jason whispered darkly and suddenly sped up his thrusts, slamming inside him, rudely--beautifully--bringing Alex's attention back to him.

"God, yes!" Alex shouted, pulling at his restraints. He kept an eye on Jack and Daniel, and finally focused on Jack. He was fucking gorgeous, sexy, and Alex's body tensed. He felt his orgasm approach, the pleasure drawn acutely with the knowledge that Jack's eyes were on him, that the sounds from the doorway were partly his.

Alex thought that Jack _could_ , perhaps, be watching just _him_. He went with it and the fantasy thought that came was rough and dark and forbidden. Jack _wanted_ to fuck him and _was_ fucking him, through Daniel. Jason's slick hardness moving back and forth inside him was suddenly Jack's and the idea that it _was_ Jack hit Alex so forcefully that he threw back his head and came for years.

"Oh god, yes!" Jason breathed, dropping his head back, looking over at his lovers, gasping through the blinding orgasm that took over his body as he released into Alex, shot after shot. "Jesus."

Jack lost it. Watching them come was just _it_ and he grabbed Daniel by the top of his shoulders and fucked him hard and fast, loving how Daniel's hands slid down the sides of the door frame, holding on as he dropped his head down and let it happen, encouraging Jack with these noises that said, "More."

Daniel couldn't see a damn thing; only white light as the orgasm shook him apart. He let his cry of pleasure echo as he came hard, clamping down on Jack.

Jack closed his eyes and let the speed and intensity of his orgasm take over everything. He grabbed Daniel around his waist, around his neck, fingers lacing through sweat-damp hair as he turned his face to him and kissed him deeply, loving the way Daniel moaned into his throat.

On the bed, Jason let Alex's legs down and unstrapped his wrists, leaving the restraints in place on the headboard. He laid carefully over him, kissing him lightly. Alex was nearly in a doze already. Jason looked over in the doorway and found his lovers on their knees, Jack's arms holding Daniel practically in his lap. Smiling at them through the gauze, he felt sated and spent; he slid off Alex and fell asleep, wondering if they wanted to watch the reverse happen tomorrow.

**.**

The next day was a strange day, Daniel thought. Breakfast had been fine, filled mostly with looks and a lot of lounging about. The night before had been thrilling, one of their best yet on the island, and the change between them and Alex had been expected, at least by him. They were introspective but also, just taking it easy. It was... comfortable, and Daniel let it be. Anything that came to mind was safe to say and Jack, at least, wasn't tense any longer, afraid of holding back. Alex, Daniel felt, was another matter. While he was more relaxed, there was something still so uneasy about him. Whatever it was, he hoped Alex would let them help.

At lunch, around two in the afternoon, Daniel had decided that a picnic on the living room floor in Jason and Alex's bungalow was the thing to get everyone, not just Alex, more relaxed. It was raining again, so while it stormed outside, the four of them sat on the floor and talked. About the fetish room.

Just before lunch, at Daniel's suggestion, they'd gone in and looked around, checking out the toys and the furniture. Daniel had made a point of including Alex, purposely choosing this time to 'broaden his horizons' and get the man to relax a little more. Even though Alex was familiar with the language and names and items, Daniel could tell he'd found the room fascinating. His reactions to newer things had been similar to their own, and for that, he had been relieved, as had Jason. There'd been the inevitable sexual tension in the air, but Daniel hadn't sensed anything unusual.

Alex hadn't either, for that matter, and for that, he'd been thankful. Being around Jack was comfortable now, though Alex still felt sexual excitement every time the man drew near. It had a lot to do with his feelings that had made Jack part of his private fantasy, but Alex no longer blushed every time Jack looked his way, or pointed out something rather erotic, like an exotic toy.

Alex knew it was confidence that was responsible and once he'd allowed himself to relax around Jack and Daniel and let time take care of itself, Alex had told any remaining private inhibitions to fuck off. He liked being confident and comfortable and knew that the reason for it was that they weren't judging him. It was important. While Jason had never judged him, Alex's feelings for him had predisposed Jason's lovers to watch, to judge him, but _that_ was what Alex expected. What he hadn't realized yet was that they weren't judging him anymore.

As he sat with them on the floor and watched Jack, Jason and Daniel share some private joke where Daniel was then teased, Alex's thoughts of judgment led him to wishing he had circumstances like theirs. No family. With Jason, none that judged, as Alex had learned about Jason's sister, Lysa.

The holiday season next week left Alex's stomach queasy but for once, it wasn't as bad as usual. He wasn't going home, despite what he'd told Jason and everyone else. While Jack and Daniel's families were gone and Jason had a sister and grandfather who loved him, Alex came from a family he couldn't trust, and above all, didn't love. He felt a social responsibility, but other than that, he'd never spoken about them truthfully and all Jason had learned about them was a lie. It was hard to love people who were hateful, phobic bigots. It was harder to accept it from family and all the harder to realize that betrayal was commonplace.

Ironic. He could one day tell them about the Stargate Program, but while he stayed in the Air Force, he could never tell them about his change of sexuality because they could leak the information. While he'd never tell them out of love or a willingness to share, he did want to throw it in their face one day. All of them.

Alex knew then that no matter what he felt after he left here and went home, no matter how much he'd miss being with Jason, being included with them meant more to him than any relationship. He'd never had this before. He was accepted and with their acceptance came his own, even in three days. It was this self-acceptance that was the more significant and it would make up for any loss he'd feel; nothing would take away the acceptance he felt now. Nothing. It was like looking at a new world.

"You're getting Jason's disease, Alex," Jack said, sitting down next to him, handing him a new beer.

Alex took it from him in surprise. He hadn't even asked. "Thanks," he said, still distracted, and looked at Jack in a slightly different way than last night... though it had nothing to do with sex. That part remained the same, of course, but this time, it was respect and something else. Not gratitude. Something else. He couldn't define it. Not yet, anyway. He felt that way about Daniel, too.

"Huh?" Alex asked, when someone called his name. Around him, three men were chuckling.

"Your mind is wandering," Jason told him, pushing at one of his crossed knees.

Daniel saw him hesitate as he nodded. "Can you share?"

Alex shook his head. "I don't want to change the subject. I prefer to talk about the stuff in the room. A lot more interesting."

"Not so interesting to keep you from wandering though, is it?" Jack asked, sipping his beer.

"It is, it's just..."

"You're not used to talking openly, are you?" Daniel asked, sensing something like relief from the man but underneath it there was something else... sadness maybe. He wanted to understand where Alex was coming from, or at least, where Alex's mind was. Alex glanced at him then looked down at the newly made fries on his plate and his half-eaten sandwich. Watching Alex drink deeply from his beer bottle, Daniel looked at his lovers quickly and felt concern from them.

"Want to talk about it?" Jack offered as he recrossed his legs, rubbing his knees absently. Having had Thor heal them a few years ago was a blessing in many, many ways, this being one of them.

Jason reached over and rubbed Jack's closest knee affectionately, catching the unspoken body language. Jack still flinched, even when there wasn't any pain. Catching Alex's thoughtful expression, he slid an encouraging hand over the man's arm. Alex looked up at him from the bottle he was holding, giving Jason a futile look.

"You know how most of my family is?" Alex asked him.

Jason made a small, distasteful grimace, nodding.

With a deep breath, Alex plucked up all the courage he had left. "I lied about them, Jace."

"In what way?" Jason asked, frowning in concern. He looked at his lovers and explained, "Apart from Alex's grandmother, he comes from a family who're judgmental."

"Jace, _narrow-minded bigots_ is the nicest way of putting who they really are."

Jason glanced at his lovers then back at Alex. "But you... well... um... okay. I'm... sorry you thought you had to lie about that." He was confused now and a little hurt, but the hurt he could push aside.

Jack had a feeling however... "Pretty much KKK members, right?"

Alex rolled his eyes. "Except they live in the northeast. My Grandma Wagner is the only one of my family, on either side, who isn't a blind follower of Oral Roberts, Jerry Falwell, and Adolph Hitler."

Everyone was stunned but Jason was the most. The stories he'd heard... everything Alex had said... He didn't just not like his family, he was ashamed of them. To lie, to cover up... "Why didn't you just say they were dead?"

"Because you do my performance reviews, Jason. You'd have known otherwise in my personnel file."

"I don't dig unless there's a reason, Alex. Unless you come at me with an axe, I still won't."

Alex looked at him sheepishly. "I'm sorry but I just..." He looked at Jason's lovers and asked, "You guys know what it's like to have loving families growing up?"

Jack nodded, as did Daniel, even though Daniel's memories were scattered between his biological family and his adopted one, including memories of Nick.

"I don't. One of those major dysfunctional families. The _point_ I'm trying to make... badly... is the reason I was so far away for a few minutes there was because this..." and he gestured at the three men and their surroundings, "... is the one time I've actually felt accepted. I'll admit that I've some inhibitions. I've never been comfortable with being able to talk about them, never mind finding out how to get rid of them. Not till I got here and... last night was the first time... I've never...um..." He looked at Jason, hoping the man would read his mind and say it for him because he couldn't seem to find the words.

"Been restrained?" Daniel offered, sensing the emotion if not the words in his head. He couldn't blame Alex for the arousal he felt or the embarrassment in sharing that arousal with more than one other person. Daniel still felt intense arousal when he remembered what he'd watched.

Alex swallowed hard and said, "Yeah. I mean, um...Cari and I...you know, just mild stuff with scarves..." He fought off the blush and felt relief when it worked.

"How did you like being tied down?" Jack asked him quietly, making sure he didn't sound as if he were cornering the man for _details_. Although that was part of it, Jack's objective was to try and _teach_ Alex to open up, just as Daniel and Jason had done for him; the problem lay in wanting to. That was all that had kept Jack from learning how to communicate without feeling he was giving something up of himself. Being involved with Special Operations certainly hadn't helped. Working in secret wasn't exactly an aid.

For Alex, it was the first openly-spoken reference to the night before and Alex became embarrassed, feeling a blush that wouldn't go away. And the day had been going so well. He knew what Jack was getting at and tried to think about his answer instead of remembering that Jack had watched him... come. He cleared his throat, laughing self-deprecatingly. "Can't seem to get rid of the blushing, can I?" He took a deep breath and said, "Other than it surprised the hell out of me in how good it felt, it felt very selfish."

Jason had the urge to push aside the plates and pull the man down for a searing kiss. Instead he asked, "Why?"

"Because I let someone else--you--do everything while I did nothing."

Jason nodded along with his lovers, then pushed aside the plates and moved closer so he could take Alex's hand. Daniel moved with him and their little circle became a lot smaller. "That's the purpose of it, Alex. To let go, to give up control and let someone else take over. A lot of people in power positions feel the need to do just that. The pressure of command, for instance," and he winked at Jack.

Alex looked at Jack in surprise, followed by desire, and looked away as if he was being rude. He felt Jack's hand on him then.

"What?" Jack asked.

Alex shook his head. The image that had come to him was highly erotic and somehow intrusive on Jack's privacy. "Um, nothing," he said quickly, trying to come up with an excuse. "Just surprised that you'd like being tied down because of what Jason said."

Daniel tilted his head, staring at him. Alex wasn't lying, but it wasn't the reason for the look at Jack. He hid the smile, understanding what the man was feeling. He wanted Jack and wouldn't allow himself to admit it. Daniel knew _that_ feeling very, very well. He cleared his throat. "We've explored our kinks, Alex, because we're lucky enough to have partners who've indulged us, sharing those desires. If there's anything you'd like _us_ to explore _with_ you," and he gestured at himself and Jack, "feel free to ask."

Jason was suddenly so proud of Daniel for asking something so open, so... free of any jealousy or restriction. He cleared his throat and swallowed down the rush of desire, but the words weren't stopped from rushing out of his mouth. "Daniel... you've no idea how badly I want to fuck you right now."

Alex choked on his swallow of beer and began coughing, making Daniel and Jack grin madly while Jason slapped his back.

"Sorry, Alex," he said, but he wasn't really. He looked at Jack and mouthed, "You too," while Alex was busy thumping his chest to get the residue of beer out of his lungs.

Under control finally, Alex shot Jason a dirty look before fixing his gaze on Daniel and Jack and managing not to be embarrassed by the offer. "Thanks, Daniel, Jack, but I don't think we've enough time for me to... for that to, um... this is your vacation, not mine. I go home tomorrow... with one hell of a good memory, so thanks for... you know."

"You're welcome," Daniel said, and Jack's simple grin echoed his sentiments silently.

Jason, however, was confused. "Wait, you mean... you're not going to your family's for..." He stopped and cringed. No, of course not. Not any more. "Shit, Alex, why didn't you just say?"

Alex closed his eyes and grimaced. "Because I hate explaining. People look at you with pity in their eyes when they find out you're staying home for Christmas and they know you live alone. I also couldn't tolerate Jason's mother henning me all over the place so..."

"Hey, I do not..." Jason began but stopped himself. He did mother hen Alex. "Shit." Daniel and Jack started to snigger because they sympathized with Alex. Jason pointed at them in self-defense. "Don't even look at me like that. You're worse than I am." Refocusing, he turned to Alex. "Nice deflection, asshole, but it didn't work."

When Jason cast a careful glance at his lovers and was about to open his mouth, Alex surprised him with a sudden hand over his mouth.

"No, Jason," Alex said flatly. "Appreciated, but I'm going home."

Jason stared at him as he pulled his hand away. He didn't have a choice but to accept Alex's wish. "If you change your mind--"

"I know. Thanks."

"Who wants another beer?" Jack asked, taking advantage of the ensuing silence to fetch another.

"None for me, thanks," Alex replied, but Jason got up to get another.

Daniel got up with them and waved his empty wine glass at Alex. "Something else maybe?"

"Frankly, I'd rather have tequila, lime, and salt," Alex murmured, looking around to see if he'd missed the bar anywhere.

"You want to get drunk?" Jason asked in surprise.

Alex drew his knees up, resting his arms over them, swinging the half-empty bottle. "No, not really. I'm feeling a little out of sorts. You won't say it, Jason, but I may as well. I don't want to leave, but I have to. It's not really a good idea for this to go on more than... well, necessary." He suddenly got up and downed his beer, tossing it in the trash. "Well, time to tap the leg. Also known as taking a leak. Be right back."

He sauntered off into the bedroom as if nothing were wrong but Daniel felt it clear as day. "He's very good at deflecting."

"It's understandable," Jack replied thoughtfully.

"I know," Jason sighed. "He was... happy for a while. Now he's not. I shouldn't have--"

"I don't think so," Jack contradicted, covering Jason's mouth as Alex had.

Jason turned his face away, pulling Jack's hand from his mouth. "Maybe I'll just have a talk with him," Jason said solemnly as he turned, but Jack held his arm.

"Would it be okay if I did?"

Jason felt a smidgen of irrational possessiveness and hated it. "Why?"

Jack shrugged. "Several reasons." He took Jason's hand and kissed the palm. "Let me?"

Without thinking, Jason nodded, trying to push away that possessive twinge even more. What the hell was the matter with him, he thought.

Daniel saw something behind Jack's eyes that had a lot to do with concern but perhaps more with _want_. He felt the desire filling him, warring with his own particular possessiveness. Something would happen between Jack and Alex if he and Jason would just... let it. He took Jason's other hand, forcing him to meet his gaze. "Alex is here to experience his own fantasies so we should let him. We're here to do the same, yes?"

Jason swallowed, agreeing. If they were willing to let him go, to have something with Alex, then he had to let Jack go, too. And Daniel, for that matter. He returned the kiss to Jack's palm. "Just... behave."

Jack gave him a wicked grin. "Now why would I want to do that?" He felt that particular butterfly feeling in his stomach. Excitement and apprehension, both. His lovers helped lessen it though. "Thanks."

"You have ten minutes," Jason said, winking, and it somehow made him feel better. Turning to leave, he squeezed Daniel's hand tighter but Jack's was suddenly on his shoulder, holding them both back.

"Stay." He wanted them there.

"Sure?" Jason asked, coloring slightly and he didn't know why. Yet.

Jack looked for understanding and found it, but he also saw confusion. "I think... I just want to see what this is I'm feeling. It's probably just attraction, lust, and perhaps it's just that with Alex, but I have to know. And so do you."

Jason and Daniel agreed, but Daniel grabbed the waist band of Jack's shorts, just under his navel, and tugged slightly. "Even lust is a good enough reason right now, Jack. Do what you feel. You know why you _have_ to try."

Jack did. Exploration; ridding of doubts and hidden desires. When they went home, their minds would be as clear as they could get them. All of them knew that things could end in an instant, and it was better to take advantage now than regret they hadn't later. Especially if things went bad. It was always the matter in knowing a guy named _Justin Case._

Jason watched Jack disappear through the bedroom threshold and turned to Daniel. He didn't _want_ to think. "I'm sorry," he said very quietly so his voice wouldn't travel.

"For?" Daniel asked, matching his lover's voice.

"What just happened. You felt it, I know you did, and I'm sorry. I've no idea where that jealousy came from, Daniel, but I do know I won't allow it to stay."

Daniel breathed in deeply and pulled Jason into his arms. His lover wouldn't even look at him so he lifted his chin and made him. "For all intents and purposes, you pretty much consider Alex _yours_. A kiss is just a kiss, an erotic game, but knowing Jack wants to take it further stepped on your territory and you weren't expecting that."

Jason narrowed his eyes. "Were you?"

"Don't turn this on me."

"You're involved, Daniel, don't make like you aren't," Jason said with a tired sigh.

"Okay, no, I didn't expect him to come right out and ask, but the point you're missing is that he _asked_. He thinks Alex is _yours_. I'm frankly astounded at the both of you, treating Alex like he's got no say in the matter."

It was harsh and it hit Jason between the eyes and beneath his balls. He groaned in disgust and tried to turn away, to pull from Daniel's grasp, but his lover wouldn't allow it. "God, we did do that, didn't we? What the hell is going on with me?"

"You're in another triangle, that's what," Daniel said with bemusement. He had to laugh at the perplexed look on Jason's face, and asked dryly, "Tell me, Jason, should I feel left out that Alex doesn't want _me_ , too?"

Jason stared at him, surprised, then the words hit home and a grin slowly formed. "Don't be an idiot."

"Then perhaps this is something we should turn to our advantage. Jack didn't want us to go. I think it might be good to get rid of those feelings if you..." He left the sentence unfinished, hoping Jason would finish it himself.

Jason swallowed, his cock stiffening as his thoughts formed a coherent idea. _Watch_. And _perform_. It might also get Alex off if he saw Jason from... another angle. Jason's grin widened. "A little exhibitionism goes well with voyeurism, don't you think?"

Daniel tucked a fingertip behind Jason's front teeth and pulled him in. "I think."

**.**

Alex leaned over the sink on his forearms, his face wet as he splashed it with cold water. He had to get a grip on his feelings. He had to. He didn't want to leave, and it wasn't just because of Jason, and no matter what, he couldn't let them know--

Jack cleared his throat as he crossed his arms and leaned in the doorway. He couldn't help but grin when Alex straightened in alarm, staring at him like a deer in the headlights.

"Jack!" he said, swallowing hard. "Scared me."

"Sorry," Jack said softly, but he wasn't.

"I'm just about done. I'll be out of your way in a sec," he said quickly and reached for the hand towel.

Jack stopped him, his hand coming down over Alex's on top of the towel bar. "No, finish up. I'm not in any hurry."

Alex slowly withdrew his hand, wondering if it was his imagination that Jack's fingers had purposely skimmed over the back of his hand as he pulled back. "Oh, um, you don't need to go then?"

Jack shook his head. "Not yet, but I probably should," and he stepped around Alex and pointedly whipped himself out. He was only half hard and knew damn well that in doing this, he'd probably get a lot harder. Best to take a piss while he could do it easily.

Alex's mouth went dry and he looked away, grabbing the towel anyway and drying his face, his back to Jack. "You um, aren't too modest, are you?"

Jack grinned, looking down Alex's back and specifically at his ass. He loved that wide shoulder-small ass look. Daniel had it, though his hips weren't quite as narrow. Jason didn't have it at all, but he had a small waist Jack loved to hold.

"It doesn't do to stay modest in the military, and in Special Ops. After nearly thirty years, one loses the modesty. Although I'm not quite ready to traipse down the corridors of the SGC in my birthday suit." He could see the side of Alex's face creasing in a smile. "As for you..." Jack went on, flushing and covering back up--hopefully not for long.

Alex turned, glancing at him carefully as he returned the towel to the wooden bar. "Yeah, I've only been in for ten years so..." He wasn't sure this was a fruitful... conversation topic and started to think of a topic change but Jack's question put a stop to that.

"Question is, how are you feeling about modesty right now?" Jack watched the man swallow again and gave him his most charming smile as he extended his hand. "Bathrooms are nice, but let's continue this discussion out here, shall we?"

Alex's mouth felt even drier. Against his better, or worse, judgment, he took Jack's hand and felt the electric current run up his arm. He felt an ache run through his body, as if his bones were complaining about gravity. _So_ not a good thought.

Jack felt the surge of desire run up his own arm and straight down his spine. His cock began to fill rapidly, but he ignored it. He wanted to do something different and it occurred to him that this _was_ different. It had been a long, long time since he'd actively pursued and seduced someone, having always flirted at it instead, keeping out of reach. Except for the kiss in Daniel's office a few years before. Daniel had hunted, and caught, him soon after, though. It wasn't the same.

Jack _liked_ that it wasn't the same. It couldn't be.

He led Alex to the middle of the room, feeling him tug a little in resistance. Jack refused to let him go, however, but instead of drawing him in his arms, he pulled Alex in front of him, having him face the bedroom doorway. They were far enough away not to be able to see through it to the living room, but the door was wide open.

Jack let go of Alex's hand and transferred both of his to the man's shoulders. "Modesty is something we should forget about for the time being," he said, his hands moving ever so slightly in a form of caress. He could feel Alex practically vibrating under his hands. He liked that.

Alex closed his eyes for a few seconds, wondering what the hell was going on. His cock was hard now from the touch of those warm hands on his shoulders and Jack's breath on the back of his head, his neck, made him shiver. He had to answer him, say _something_. He only hoped that it didn't sound stupid.

"Jack, what's--" he started to ask.

"Shhh. Listen," Jack told him, leaning down a bit to whisper, his lips hovering provocatively over Alex's ear.

Alex couldn't hear anything but his own rapid heartbeat and Jack's voice; couldn't feel anything but Jack's hands and the heat from his body behind him as he just barely brushed against him.

"I don't hear anything," Alex whispered.

"You don't?" Jack asked. _He_ could, of course, since he was in tune with his lovers and knew their sounds, even when they were quiet. There was the rustle of skin, of soft breathing, of deep kisses and quiet moans. Sounds that would increase in volume soon enough.

Jack stepped to the side and took Alex's hand again. Pretending to be sneaking up on his lovers, he put a finger over his lips and led Alex to the doorway, then pointed as he placed the man in front of him again. They were at an angle, viewing the living room more directly, and Jack felt Alex inhale.

**.**

Having stripped of their clothes, Jason reclined against the low couch that faced the bedroom and watched Daniel kneel in front of him, pushing his legs apart. He couldn't keep his hands from Daniel's body and they skimmed over his warm, smooth arms and chest. Reaching down with one hand, he curled his fingers around his cock, loving how Daniel bit his lip and breathed through a small moan as Jason stroked him.

Daniel looked at Jason's cock, lying fat and heavy on his abdomen, and a lusty grin formed as he took it in hand to match the strokes he was receiving. "I think I should taste you," he whispered, "get you harder, then maybe I should fuck you. What do you think?"

Jason felt the lust inside him rise uncontrollably. He blinked slowly, an old code of theirs meaning _I love you_. "I _think_ you should do whatever the hell you want."

**.**

It was perfect, Jack thought. Alex was watching Daniel go down on Jason; watching him tease and get him harder. He knew that Alex hadn't missed the lube on the couch next to them, or that underneath Jason were a few towels placed there to protect the couch. It meant that they weren't going to move, or stop, and that they'd get messy.

Jack didn't want to stop watching them, either. He loved the fact that a huge benefit to his three-way relationship was in being able to watch his lovers whenever they made love. It was incredible. Like now. He could feel Alex breathing harder, amused at Alex's contradicting emotions as he stared and watched, then looked away, repeatedly. Jack finally stopped him, his hands moving up to cradle his jaws, forcing him to look straight ahead.

"Allow yourself to watch, Alex," he whispered. "There's no harm done and they don't mind. Jason likes me to watch him, and he'll like you to watch him, too."

"And you?" Alex asked, his hands white-knuckling the door frame in front of him. "What do you want?"

Jack paused, then breathed against the back of his ear. "You." At the inhale from Alex, and the fact that the man tensed but didn't move away, Jack slid his hands down his shoulders, over his back and around to his chest. His touch was firm but not rough. Soothing, seductive. He let his hands feel the hard muscle and equally hard nipples through Alex's shirt. He was so warm underneath and Jack couldn't get enough. His fingers touched buttons, opening them, moving down, careful to only _hint_ at touching below the waist. Shirt undone, he pushed it aside and felt for skin.

Alex's hands gripped the door frame harder and his breathing intensified. He was caught between the sight before him and the fact that Jack was seducing him from behind. He wanted to focus on just one thing but couldn't. Daniel had finished sucking Jason and had the lube in his hands, squirting the slick stuff onto his fingers and over Jason's ass which now rested just past the edge of the sofa. On the floor, he realized that Daniel knelt on even more towels.

Fuzzing his view, unintentionally or not, were Jack's hands, grazing his nipples, caressing his stomach... slowly moving lower. When Daniel's fingers entered Jason, Jack's fingers slid inside the waistband of his shorts and inched them down, over his hips, catching his cock and making it spring back up. No doubt remained as to his state of arousal, and the moment Jack's fingers skimmed his cock, he had to see for himself what Jack's state was.

He turned away from the scene he wanted to watch to the end, but he had to see. His eyes were drawn down and the clear outline of Jack's cock was his answer. He reached out tentatively and stopped, looking up.

Jack wanted to give permission, to have Alex undress him, but he was too hard, and the situation was too hot. He threw off his shirt and pushed off his shorts with expert quickness. Standing before Alex now, his cock jutting out, angry-red and swollen, his gaze practically dared Alex to his knees, but before the man could do anything other than stare with a matching lust, Jack pulled him, still mostly clothed, against him and kissed him into next week.

Alex's arms went around him this time, fingers digging into his shoulders and back, clawing for purchase, clawing with need. Jack reached between with one hand and pushed Alex's shorts off his thighs, the shirt off his shoulders, and Alex moaned when his damp skin met Jack's. He rubbed against him in a frantic effort to feel everything he could but Jack's hands slowed him down.

"I want you," Jack whispered, biting along Alex's jaw, softly at first, then harder, more insistently, winding him up. "When Daniel fucks Jason, I want to be fucking _you_."

Lust drove Alex to act and he kissed Jack back, harder, with more demand. Saying 'yes'. He started to break away, thinking of lube, but when Jack pulled them down to their knees, hands on him everywhere, teeth over his collarbone, Alex spied the bottle on the floor. He gasped when he felt the cool lube and Jack's fingers, and dropped his back, spreading his knees as wide as he could, giving Jack access; giving Jack everything.

**.**

Through half-lidded eyes, Jason watched the nude figures of Jack and Alex in the bedroom doorway. Part of him wanted to chuckle with amusement, thinking the doorway a favored spot now, but most of him wanted Daniel, and wanted Alex and Jack to watch him with Daniel. But he wanted Daniel to watch them in return and before Daniel could think of entering him, Jason pushed Daniel's mouth from his navel and the ring he'd remembered to place there--that Alex hadn't seen or tasted, which left one more new thing to do.

"The coffee table," he told Daniel, sitting up, kissing him feverishly, quickly. The sweat was forming over Daniel's upper lip and Jason took a moment to lick, moaning at the salty, spicy taste.

Daniel knew what he meant and could hear the breathing and the gasps before he turned from Jason's kisses to look. The towels on the couch were quickly transferred and he arranged Jason onto his stomach, spreading his knees; without a word of warning, knowing exactly how Jason would want this, he sheathed himself inside, moving deeply in one stroke, and at the last, thrusting very hard--groin-to-ass, and Jason clenched around him. Fuck that felt good.

Jason grabbed the edge of the narrow table, arms bent against his ribs, grunting with pleasure as Daniel twisted slightly at the last and glanced off his gland. Looking up in time, he caught Alex on his knees with Jack behind him, lubing his fingers. When Alex lifted his head, their eyes met and held. Jason breathed through the first real thrust, loving the sounds Alex made when Jack's fingers entered him, and he let himself wallow in lust and pleasure as Daniel pulled back and sent him into the stratosphere.

**.**

Jack was far past ready and feeling a shiver over both of them, he cautiously slid his finger inside. The tightness that met him had him groaning with Alex, only his was in an effort not to come at the thought of his cock surrounded by such a grip. "Relax," he whispered against his _lover's_ ear, shivering again at the name. Alex breathed slowly, shakily, faint sounds coming from his throat, whimpers of need and want.

It was almost too much, Jack thought, as he moved his finger back and forth, trying to twist. The position wasn't helping. "Grab both frames," he whispered, taking hold of Alex's hip so their bodies were perfectly framed in the doorway. Alex planted both hands against the wide frame, knuckles white with strain. "Okay?" Jack asked, feeling Alex loosen a little, breathing harder.

"Yes," Alex answered, dropping his head down, then lifting it back up, eyes on Jason as their lovers watched, mostly consumed in their own pleasure. In a way, Daniel was every bit Alex's lover as they were now.

"Another now," Jack told him and slid two fingers in, finding it harder to manage. God, he was going to be tight, and kneeling like this so they could watch Jason and Daniel was going to prove difficult. But Jack knew that once inside him, all thoughts of difficulty would be replaced with incessant need.

Jack reached around him, hand leaving Alex's hip, and took his cock in hand, stroking slowly, loving how hot and heavy he felt in his fist. Sounds merged with feeling and thought, and Jack was suddenly aware of the slickness of their skin. He hadn't done much but the lust throughout their bodies brought the sheen to the surface. It would sting Alex, pushing inside, and probably hurt as well since Jack was bigger, but Alex was moving his hips now, fucking Jack's fingers, his fist, his rocking broadcasting what he wanted.

Jack slowly withdrew his fingers and with one hand, lubed his cock more than he normally would have. He stroked Alex harder, massaging his shaft, listening to the sounds he made, knowing how he was getting off on his touch as well as the sounds Jason and Daniel were making. Just as Jack was. He nudged Alex with his cockhead, rubbing, warning in a way, and with his free hand now around his waist, pushed inside.

Alex's legs shook and he spread them wider, trying to accommodate the thickness moving slowly inside. He was no longer quiet, no longer focused on listening to Daniel and Jason. All he felt as his eyes remained locked with Jason's, was Jack's cock burning a path inside his ass. His gasp of surprise was broken and hitched and he grabbed onto the door frame, pushing against it, holding himself up when all he wanted to do was drop down and fucking _take it_. He heard Jack ask if he was okay and he nodded absently, lost in the incredible feeling of heat.

Jack's hand around his cock slowed but didn't leave him, and his other hand now caressed his stomach, his pecs and nipples. When Jack was deep inside and pulled back to thrust, the sensation of movement made him cry out and he realized it was Jack's name. Intuitively or not, Jack didn't stop. He moved slowly, carefully, but didn't stop, and for that, Alex was grateful. He was sure he'd kill him if he stopped.

Although those thoughts were nothing once Jack touched his gland. He held his body tightly to him, undulating, rocking, creating a dance-like rhythm with his body and hips that drove Alex insane. He didn't want to wait, needing to come, but Jack felt so damn good and Jason and Daniel looked so damn good that he wished it didn't have to end.

Alex's body remained tight around Jack's cock and he knew that the moment he sped up, all bets would be off. It wouldn't take long to come and what he wanted more than anything was to make the man scream. Perhaps he could try not to do that to himself, though. Holding on, kissing and biting along Alex's neck and shoulder, Jack... let go.

After a minute, Alex was yelling, scratching at the paint, body trembling as he came; Jack shut his eyes against the tight, constricting hold around his cock and pushed Alex down, the last thrusts made in rapid succession as he held onto his shoulders and just... _fucked_ him. He heard his name on Alex's lips, on Daniel's, with Jason telling him to fuck Alex hard, to come, and come he did, knowing his lovers came with him soon after.

**~**

Alex said his goodbyes to Jack and Daniel quickly. He hated goodbyes in general, and right now, he hated them intensely. He hugged them both, finding himself speechless again when they hugged him back. He got into the plane, buckling up, and looked away, unable to watch them any more.

Jason waved to his lovers from his pilot's seat, concern in his eyes as he taxied the plane around for take off; he knew they were watching, waiting till the plane was out of sight. They were so damned protective, and they'd developed a bond with Alex the day before that had them feeling that protective twice over.

"You can always change your mind, right now, Alex," he said, but the man was adamant about leaving. Discussed last night and again that morning, Jason understood why, and tried to place his mind on other things so he wouldn't have to think and dwell on his own reasons for wanting Alex to stay.

He was grateful for the private goodbye, that Jack had stayed behind. It was going to be hard, even for the short 'goodbye' he had planned before Alex caught his flight. It would be different when he got home, but judging from Alex's behavior, thankfully not too different. The man was more relaxed, more at peace, and he'd stopped blushing altogether. He was sad, though, and Jason wished more than ever that he'd been a better liar. Unfortunately, he hadn't a goddamn clue if that was good or bad.

**.**

Watching the plane take off, Jack and Daniel exchanged a single glance on the way back to the bungalow. There was a silent agreement and understanding and Daniel could feel the emotions from Jack to confirm it.

 _Alex_ needed to be addressed after they returned home. They'd see how things went. There was no regret from either of them about what they'd experienced with Alex the day before; they'd left Jason alone with him all that morning after breakfast. They were quite satisfied with all that had happened over the last few days, and strangely, they weren't of the same opinion as Jason. They were glad that something had been done. It was just that something else needed to be done as well. When they got home.

There was no question that a closer bond had been forged with Alex. The problem that awaited was not a matter of support but advisability. Their jobs, their hazards, everything would be the same, except they now had to worry about Alex, and Jason's feelings for the man. While he and Jack had had fun, and actually liked the man, Jason loved him. He and Jack now had to gauge how far to go--if they wanted to give Jason the freedom to find out how much he wanted to be with Alex.

If they decided to, the question, more to the point, would be in _how_ to do that without messing up their own relationship. It might not be possible, probably wasn't possible, but they loved Jason too much not to try to figure it out. It was going to make for one long damn discussion later. If it became necessary at all. Only time would tell once they were back 'in the world.' And the decision would be Jason's. And Alex's. The man was very likely to put on a brave front and reject anything altogether. Daniel didn't think it probable though. He wouldn't hurt Jason again.

Returning to the house, Daniel set aside the issues of Alex and home and thought of more immediate concerns instead. He poured himself a glass of wine and watched Jack clean the outdoor grill, knowing the man was now thinking of Stef. Cleaning always gave Jack something to do while he thought over the things on his mind. This time, it was Stef, and Daniel still hadn't a clue how heavy the issues were, never mind _what_ they were.

Deeply buried fears was likely one issue, thoughts of Iraq, of a bond Jack formed with Stef as he'd helped him, even if the help had been emotional and mental, not physical. Daniel had a feeling it might be all three this time and part of him _wanted_ that.

While Jack's healing of his past had resulted in no more nightmares, Daniel knew damn well that he had some personal demons to sort out, even where Stef was concerned. Jack's newly discovered kink might or might not help. However, Daniel had a feeling that Jack would find a way to understand that kink _through_ Stef. From what Daniel understood, Stef was an expert reader of people, as any good Dom should be. He hoped Jack was right, and hoped that whatever happened, it brought Jack some peace. Even, Daniel thought with amusement, if Stef had to strap him down and...

"What'cha thinking about?" Jack asked from behind, making Daniel jump slightly.

Annoyed that he hadn't noticed Jack moving in on him--and taking strategic advantage of it--Daniel turned round, backhanding him across the chest and stepping away. He thought his scowl was a nice touch but apparently Jack wasn't in the mood to notice or care. The filthy look on his lover's face, however, was something Daniel couldn't miss. It strangely matched Jack's clothes, dirty with soot and ash.

"Well?" Jack asked, advancing.

Daniel continued to back up, glancing at the scraper in his lover's hand before shooting Jack challenging look. "You and Stef."

"Me and Stef, huh?"

"Yeah, you and Stef."

"What about me and Stef?"

"Nothing... much," he said, smiling into his glass.

"You're thinking entirely too much, Daniel," Jack told him.

"Maybe. We'll see when Stef gets here what exactly qualifies as too much."

Jack set the scraper down and took off the apron he'd put on. "I could show you," he said, taking another step toward him.

Daniel set his wine glass on the counter and retreated, his hand going up to warn him off. "Jack, don't you dare. You're dirty."

"I know that."

"From the _grill_ ," he emphasized with a laugh.

"I know that, too. And now, you're going to get dirty." He lunged, Daniel yelped and ran, and the pursuit ended behind the house, with Daniel on his back in the grass, laughing, trying to dodge Jack's hands until he felt Jack's cock hardening against him. At that moment, he stopped resisting and started teasing, aided by Jack's hands that were no longer teasing him but instead were at his hips, pulling down their shorts.

The lust was lightning quick and Daniel pulled Jack's mouth to his, kissing hungrily, deeply, assisting with one hand while he held Jack by the neck with the other.

Their shorts were halfway down their thighs and a sharp wave of pleasure zipped through Daniel when Jack laid on top of him, weight settling down, and rocked his hips into him, rubbing cock against cock. The friction was damn good.

"Yes, more," Daniel mumbled before kissing him again, harder. _Rougher_.

Jack met it eagerly; his hands, long since cleaned from soot by the grass and Daniel's now dirty clothing, roamed Daniel's body with firm caresses, molding skin and muscle to his will, churning up his lover's desire as well as his own. Daniel's hands became frantic as they suddenly began pushing their shorts further down until his squirming allowed him to get one leg free.

"Yes," he said, the urgent tone grating against Jack's ear as he wrapped his legs around his waist, thrusting up again and again.

 _Wild_ , Jack thought as he thrust back, grinding with a quick, insistent rhythm. His thumbs pressed through the fabric of Daniel's t-shirt, rubbing the nipples in hard, vicious circles, loving how Daniel's reaction was to thrash and buck beneath him.

What surprised him was Daniel's hand around his cock, pumping him, pushing it _down_ , rubbing the head against his hole. Before Jack had a second to think, the pre-come he'd leaked was lubing the skin, the opening, and hot desire flooded him as Daniel maneuvered his cockhead, pushing, pulling, body frantic for fucking. Jack kept rocking, thrusting, going with it, taking what Daniel demanded, surprise greeting him as he slid, rough and hot and _dry_ , inside the tight hole.

"Fuck yes!" Daniel panted, head thrown back as both hands clamped on Jack's ass, guiding his rhythm with feverish thrusts and grinds.

"Jesus!" Jack whispered hoarsely and fucked him hard and quick. In only a matter of seconds, Daniel was coming, muscles squeezing his cock, making Jack follow him off that cliff. God, he loved this man.

They were sore and stiff when they separated, yet sated and happy when they reached the jacuzzi and settled into its warm depths, the soothing oil serving as a tonic to body and mind.

"Should've waited till Jason got back," Daniel said softly as he leaned against Jack's chest, "but I couldn't, not with you playing dirty."

Jack smiled against his hair and slid his hand down to Daniel's cock. "We'll love him when he gets back."

Daniel nodded, suddenly reminded of what Jason's mood was likely to be when he got back. "He'll need it, to remind him that we love him, want him, and aren't letting him go."

"Exactly what I was thinking."

Daniel turned his head and kissed the arm over his chest. "I know."

 

 

TBC in Part Five


	5. Playground 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more smut. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of the series, Trinity. The Trinity Universe continues in Trilogy.

_Two Weeks Later..._   


Sitting in the chaise on the back deck was just what he needed. With his face in the shade and holding an iced tea instead of a beer, Jack eased back and watched as Jason directed Daniel through the Tai Chi exercises.

Jack took a sip from the tea as he watched the concentration on Daniel's face. His lover normally found the exercises deeply erotic, but for once, Daniel was paying more attention to the exercises then on Jason's body. Their sex-filled days had worn him to the point that Daniel's mind had _finally_ relaxed; took a lot to do that. At least now he could concentrate and not get distracted. Jack could relate, although sitting and watching wasn't much of a comparison.

Jack's attention was abruptly returned to the here and now when his lovers' exercises turned from exercise to practice. He grinned as Daniel bested Jason with a move and set him on his ass. It was usually the other way around--and for a quick moment, Jack wondered if Jason's mind was on the practice or on Daniel. The next moment discouraged that however when Daniel's next attempt had Jason putting him on his back.

As they sparred, Jack's thoughts inevitably went to Stef. They had had their own sparring bouts a long time ago, though those had been normal hand-to-hand. They'd developed a strong bond back then. Stef had helped him and had done it in differing ways, some subtle, some overt. Yet all that time, there had never been an acknowledgment of attraction. Of course, back then, it had been because Jack's mind had been messed up... and because he'd been married.

Jack wondered how they would get along now--if there would be that same underlying current between them, especially in this Fantasy Island setting. He could speculate, of course, using past memory, but he'd been resisting the impulse to do that because his mind seemed to focus on moments when he'd seen Stef naked--and Stef had seen him. It hadn't been sexual; Stef simply didn't have a modest bone in his body, and Jack... well, he never did care about covering up after a shower. When he was home anyway.

How would his lovers take to Stef, and how would they take to having a Dom around? Fifteen years ago, Stef had been practicing, using his nature and abilities. Jack hadn't been unaware of Stef using them on him, helping him heal, and it had never had a sexual base, but now he had a feeling that that was about to change... especially since he'd revealed to Stef the new found spanking kink.

It was, perhaps, one of the reasons Jack both dreaded and looked forward to seeing his friend. Like his lovers, Stef was like a dog with a bone when he wanted to know something--only he went about the gnawing differently. He'd ask his questions; he'd observe. Whatever he'd divine from them, Jack still wasn't sure he wanted to know the answers. The man was a brilliant interpreter of human behavior. It's what made him an excellent Dom, Jack supposed, but it still made him nervous.

Stef loved exposing what people hid from themselves. He tended to reach in and yank out whatever lay hidden. Jack hoped that wasn't going to be the case where his lovers were concerned. He wasn't all that certain he wanted to know what lay hidden within _himself_ , never mind his lovers. He had to know, however; Jack simply didn't want it to change anything.

Besides, what could there possibly be to expose?

Turning his thoughts from guesswork, Jack focused on the bout before him. It lasted for another five minutes before Daniel broke it off with a tagging slap on Jason's ass and dashed for the deck. He ran around behind Jack, gauging where Jason would go as the man jumped over the rail and onto the deck to stand just beyond Jack's feet.

Smirking at the gleam in Jason's eyes, Jack commented, "I think you two should just fuck and get it over with." Behind him, Daniel laughed and pushed at his head before coming around to stand next to Jason, leaning in for a sweaty kiss.

"So states Mister Voyeurism."

Jason laughed softly, hand traveling lazily to Daniel's ass for a squeeze. He could feel a bit of arousal, but it was as slow as the humidity. "Maybe later."

Daniel wrinkled his nose in a silly grin, agreeing.

A second later, they were startled by a deep bass horn sounding off in the distance. A distance, however, not from around the bend of the island but from _just_ offshore.

Jack pushed out of the chaise before his lovers even moved. "Fuck. He's a day early."

"Good thing we cleaned up already," Daniel murmured as he and Jason quickly followed Jack to the front of the house and were forced to come to a dead stop beside him.

Shading his eyes for a better look, Jason let his mouth hang open, as did Daniel.

"Christ, that's a big boat," Daniel said quietly.

"And one hell of a big compensation tool if he were anyone other than who Jack says he is."

"What's that mean exactly?" Jack asked, frowning at him.

"Just what it sounds like, Jack. Guys who buy boats that cost more than the GNP of Paraguay tend to have huge insecurity issues and little dicks. Or they don't know how to fuck. Neither of which fits your description of Stef so I'm thinking that the other possibility is that this guy has a serious hard-on for living on the water, and judging by the size of that yacht, it's one hell of a hard-on."

Jack smiled. "Okay, yeah, Stef does like the water, as if this property didn't tell you that."

Jason tried not to look too smug at the triumph in goading his lover. "No, the property speaks of privacy, not the love of the water."

"That too, smart ass." Jack sighed as he looked the ship over. "Hundred footer, give or take five," and he shook his head at Stef's obvious accumulation of wealth, as if the property weren't enough. "Good thing I moved the goddamn plane up to the shoreline." He also realized that there, in the presence of the boat, was the reason why the dock was built so long. It'd been shorter fifteen years before but he hadn't figured it worth mentioning. It was one hell of an upgrade.

They got to the dock and walked toward the end before it cut off abruptly and stairs led to the beach. The yacht's bow reached them a moment later and as it moved further in, Daniel, Jack, and Jason walked with it, all three of them ready for the anchor lines to be thrown down.

Looking up to the top of the cockpit motor yacht, Jack caught the first glimpse of his friend behind the wheel and felt a sudden, and surprising, thrill surge through him. The next thought made him snort with amusement.

"What?" Daniel and Jason asked, flanking him.

"He's grown his hair out."

"You didn't know that?" Jason asked.

"No," Jack drawled with feigned annoyance. "We weren't exactly sharing photos over emails."

Daniel bit his lip and winked at Jason. "Jack's got a hippie boyfriend."

"Daniel--" Jack warned.

"He'll have beads and hookahs," Jason added, stepping closer to Daniel as they both crossed their arms and appeared to be 'in conference.'  "He's got weed stashed inside."

Daniel nodded in agreement. "Though it's probably old so he's undoubtedly brought fresh supplies. We should be careful though. The cops might be looking for him."

"Why do you say that?" Jason said, acting affronted. "He's Jack's _boy_ friend, he wouldn't be in _any_ trouble with the law."

"Long hair, dope smoker, large yacht."

"Point," Jason conceded.

Jack stared at them, his mouth twisting sarcastically. "And just what will be _your_ excuse, Jason, when your hair's down to your ass and you've got gramps' pipe sitting nearby?"

"That I need all the help I can get?" Jason answered.

Daniel snickered.

"You already do," Jack replied, eyeing Daniel, who was now laughing outright.

As Jack narrowed his eyes at him, Daniel swallowed the laugh. "What?" he asked innocently.

"I'm visualizing a old man groping about for his... glasses," Jack mocked around his grin.

"I'm visualizing that's the only thing I'd find hard in bed with you," Daniel shot back dryly.

"Where you're concerned. You might also remember that it takes two, sometimes _three_ , for that."

"Last I checked, I only had two hands."

Jason's laughter received a cuff from Jack, which made it worse.

Above them, Stef disappeared from sight and a second later, reappeared on the exterior part of the flybridge behind the cockpit. Jack suddenly waved... as if Stef didn't belong there.

"'Scuse me, but you can't park this thing here! I believe the Carnival Cruise fleet is the next island over!"

Daniel and Jason hid their grins but Jack's grew broader in response to the bright smile from the tiny person _high_ above them.

"I thought this place looked a little too small for the Operations office," Stef called down. "You don't mind if we take a breather here, do you?"

"Mi casa est su casa!"

"You're a peach!" Stef called back. "Think you can tie me down?" and he tossed down two lines.

Jack caught one, and yelled back, "Not without dinner and flowers first. I'm not that easy!"

"That's not what I heard!" Stef replied, and Jack grinned fiendishly.

"People have been killed for less, you know!"

"Ah, a man after my own heart!"

"It's not your heart I was thinking of!"

"It's not? I'm shocked!"

"You wanted to be tied down!" Jack called back.

"You have a point!" Stef answered, disappearing again.

Daniel grabbed the second line, biting his lip against his comments. A tall blond appeared halfway down the boat and threw down another line. Jason jogged over quickly to catch it and tied it securely to the mooring plate on the dock just as his lovers were doing.

Daniel couldn't see any ladders and was about to ask when Stef reappeared on the main deck and opened a section of the boat's wale, revealing a sophisticated ladder, more akin to a set of stairs than anything else, that _unfolded_ to the dock. Hands on the railings, he backed down the ladder and jumped the last foot of free space to the deck to unfold the remaining section. With a kick of his foot, the ladder locked into place.

Jason noted with cautious attention that the blond who'd appeared before was now nowhere in sight. He wondered if he planned on coming down or if he was seeing to the rest of the ship's anchoring, and dismissed the questions he had when Stef started down the ladder. He quickly joined his lovers to greet the man.

Jack cocked his head, staring at his friend as Stef turned round to look at him. His previously short hair was shoulder length now and Jack noted with envy how it was highlighted by only a few silver streaks that ran through the sable color. Most of those streaks seamed to frame his handsome, tanned face. Smile lines around the eyes and corners of his mouth had increased, though it didn't really age him one bit.

Jack wasn't surprised by what he saw, though. His lithe, muscular body hadn't changed too much; from what Jack could tell under the burgundy cotton shirt and ivory-colored trousers, he seemed to have acquired more definition, witnessed by his bared forearms. Jack idly flipped back through his mental photo album, trying to remember if the man's forearms had ever been as tanned.

One thing he noticed right off as Stef walked toward them was that he was taking them in as a unit, viewing with that keen observational ability he owned. Jack couldn't help but wonder what it was he saw.

Clearing his throat, he caught the dark blue eyes smiling at him and held out his hand as Stef reached them. "I can't promise to tie you down," he said with a cheeky grin, "but we do have a few amenities that you can help yourself to."

Stef grinned and took Jack's hand in a firm grip. "It's good to see you, Jack," and smiling wider as he looked over Jack's face and eyes, he pulled him in for a warm, body-embracing hug. Stepping back, he added, "You haven't changed... much," and his free hand reached up to play at a few strands of silver hair.

Jack snorted. "Got old, that's all."

"Not that old," Stef corrected with mock-scolding, gesturing at his own face. "You're as handsome as ever."

Jack's Cheshire cat grin appeared. "Flattery will get you anything." He took a step back, quickly looking left and right at his lovers. "Stef, this is Daniel Jackson and Jason Coburn. My better halves. Daniel, Jason... Stefan MacIntosh."

They shook Stef's hand warmly and Jason pointed at the boat. "That's one hell of a ship you have there." He was beginning to feel a little out of sorts. The man was a few inches shorter than he was, yet his presence gave him greater height. Jason very rarely met people like that.

"Thanks," Stef replied, looking back at it for a second. "It's my _boat_."

"This place is amazing as well as a lifesaver," Daniel told him. "Thank you for letting us vacation here. We _really_ needed it."

"So Jack was telling me over a month ago," Stef replied, indicating that they walk up to the house. "And you're quite welcome. You three certainly look rested so I'm pleased that I was able to do something for the old man here."

Jason coughed behind his hand and Jack gave him a look before saying, "You've lost your sense of humor. I'm terribly sorry. Used to be so sharp," and gifted Stef with a challenging look.

"Comes from talking to you for fifteen years."

Jack grinned his head off as he followed Stef through the kitchen entrance of the main house. His friend looked around and with a quick dart of his eyes at the bedroom doorway, asked, "You didn't move your things to the other bungalow, did you?"

"No, we just cleaned up. You said you were staying on the boat while we were here so..."

Stef nodded. "Good, good. And yes, I'm staying aboard that floating pleasure palace."

The nickname had Daniel, Jason and Jack exchanging quick glances.

"Something I said?" Stef asked, watching them.

"No, just a nickname we had to one of our missions," Jack explained casually. "A bit of a joke in that the place was the opposite, despite its nice appearance."

"Gotcha," Stef answered, although he didn't really. He could only guess they meant it was a shady op.

After a few more pleasantries, Jason and Daniel left Jack alone with Stef, staying in the kitchen, observing while the two men strolled through the house and out back.

Catching sight of them through one of the windows behind the dining room, Daniel folded his arms and sighed.

"What?" Jason asked.

"Jack was understating his friend's looks. That man is _nice_."

Jason nodded in agreement and turned away from the window to grab the pitcher of tea from the fridge. "Want some more?" he asked and when Daniel nodded, filled his glass, too. "Did you notice the way he looked at us?"

Daniel let out a brief snort. "Yeah, it wasn't hard to miss. Proprietary. Not surprising since this is his property."

"It looked more... responsible, as if he was looking at us the way Jack does when we're all in the field and he's in charge of the mission."

"Because we're his guests," Daniel figured.

"Likely."

Stef appeared in the kitchen doorway just then with Jack nowhere to be seen. Daniel and Jason immediately looked around and Jason took the few steps to the living room entrance.

Stef's pleasant expression hid nothing. "I haven't secreted him off anywhere. Jack's gone next door to grab something for me."

Despite liking this man, Daniel felt defensive and didn't like Jack being ordered anywhere, but at the same time, he knew he was overreacting. Jack trusted his long time friend and while Daniel had to make up his own mind about that, he trusted Jack and his instincts. Besides, fifteen years, even at a distance, _should_ be long enough to get to know someone, especially since Jack had initially spent some time with his friend.

Jason's hand was on his shoulder, startling Daniel just a bit. When he looked over, he found Jason's expression was like his own; concerned.

"Have I just passed a test of some sort?" Stef asked, made curious by the lovers' silent exchange.

Daniel sighed as he crossed his arms. "You did. Or rather, we just did," and he gestured between himself and Jason. "So what's Jack doing for you?"

"You've undoubtedly seen the pharmaceutical supply in what Jack says you all refer to as the fetish room?"

They gave him a nod.

"My companion, Malcolm, suffers from periodic migraines. The stress of being seasick brought this one on, I'm afraid. Jack offered to grab a bottle of his medicine from the cabinet and bring it to him after I mentioned that I wanted to talk to you two."

"That explains the prescription meds I saw," Daniel mused.

"Yeah. Malcolm'll be okay. Whether it's a fortuitous sign or not, he wasn't all that ready to meet you anyway. He's kind of shy. He'll be staying aboard the Cassiopeia with me, as coming onto dry land will only make the seasickness worse after such a long spell on the water. I'm used to going back and forth, but he isn't. He usually stays at the villa."

"And where's that?" Daniel asked, a smile forming as he remembered his and Jason's tease about Stef being a dope smuggler.

"On Catalina Island," Stef thumbed in the general direction of the island to the west.

"He won't mind seeing Jack?"

"Yeah, he will, but because he's waiting for the pills, he'll wait before hiding in the bedroom with the lights off."

Jason pointed in the direction of the ship. "Don't you want to go be with him? Daniel gets migraines sometimes. He doesn't mind someone being with him as long as we're quiet."

"I'm afraid Malcolm minds. He has his own routine in dealing with his migraines. So I'll leave him alone for a few days."

" _Days_?" Daniel asked, alarmed.

Stef nodded worriedly. "The meds work, but once one comes on him, it comes back in smaller forms until it goes completely away. Usually takes a week. So, as I said, fortuitous because I've..." and he gave them a knowing smile, "got other things to do here. I've been looking forward to seeing Jack for a long time. And you two, as well. He talks a lot about you."

"He does, huh?" Daniel half-asked, and though he wasn't surprised, he was a little embarrassed. What the hell was there to talk about? He again pointed in the direction of the yacht, changing the subject. "You said the _Cassiopeia_. Why that name?" Knowing why Stef had chosen the name might help him the man's mind, or so he hoped. Having a private discussion with him still felt somewhat intimidating, despite the glowing report Jack had given about the man.

"I'm a fan of both Greek myth and irony, Daniel. I thought to name a yacht after the woman who dared to piss off the daughters of Poseidon and as a result, incurred his wrath."

Daniel nodded silently, thinking that he shared the same reason for liking the Cassiopeia character, though her myths hardly placed her in good favor.

"Were you expecting another reason?" Stef asked him as he moved over and leaned against one side of the kitchen's island, facing them.

Daniel shook his head, taking a deep breath. "I... have to admit that I'm a little wary of you. Though Jack's said nothing but good things about you, he hasn't actually said all that much, other than you're a Dom, and that you're good at reading people. Jack means well in having us talk to you, get to know you, but I don't really see the relevance in being _read_. No offense but we're not into your Lifestyle so I don't see the point in wasting your time."

Stef sighed, crossing his arms and ankles. Staring at the floor, he said, "I was afraid that might come across wrong," then looked up to meet their eyes.

Daniel and Jason grimaced, and Daniel spoke first in apology. "We meant no offense," Daniel said. "It's just that we're used to secrecy in our lives--and I don't mean classified information. Having someone around who is used to exposing secrets, I'm sure you can see how we might be a bit worried."

"I understand that," Stef said, relaxing a bit, "but being a reader of people isn't a matter of exposing secrets but finding out things the person being read isn't aware of, things that will help, not hinder. I'll tell you what I've observed so far, just on general view. You really needed this vacation. I can see the stress in your body language that has nothing to do with me and more to do with not wanting to leave. You could do with another month here, I think."

"Amen to that," Jason said and Daniel tended to agree.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is what good will you be able to do us that we haven't already done for ourselves? We don't..."

"Need a shrink?" Stef asked, grinning. "I understand that, Daniel. From what Jack's told me, the two of you aren't ignorant about psychological matters. You're very introspective, whereas Jack tends to just let things be. But you know that old axiom about doctors making the worst patients. You can see some things about yourselves and be oblivious to others. Having an outside point of view may simply make your future stresses less taxing. Internal understanding always sharpens the mind."

Jason gave him an appraising look. "We know you helped him get over the scars from Iraq, and we're glad that happened, but neither of us," and he gestured at himself and Daniel, "have that much we don't know about ourselves. I have a few questions, of course, but... I don't really consider them important."

Stef nodded, then said with an air of mystery, "Yet it's those that should be looked at. You both know, as well as I do, that it's the smaller details that often produce the more significant results."

Daniel's eyes widened. "In terms of science, yeah, you're right, but about ourselves?"

Jason nudged him. "He's right. Sand castles, Daniel."

Daniel thought about that and the realization hit home. "Yeah, he is."

"But where does that leave us, leave Jack? What else is there to help with?"

"Jack's mentioned a few leftover things, but nothing important. He attributes most of his healing to time and you two, especially Daniel, who saved him from suicide."

Daniel abruptly colored. He didn't blush that often but when he did... "I only showed him that destroying himself wasn't the answer. I never _talked_ to him about it, I just said that it didn't seem like the right answer."

"And you saved his life. From what I hear, he said that he'd thought you were dead, till he saw you alive and well after that first mission, whatever it was."

Daniel suddenly wished he could tell Stef everything. The amount of insight he could share would probably be extremely useful. With a sigh of regret, he said, "Point is, I don't like to think that I did all that much, but I'm very glad I could help him."

"He said you had let him stay here," Jason carried on, "and didn't interfere with his own methods of dealing with his demons."

"It was hard not to, for obvious reasons," Stef said with a hint of impatience. "I let him be for the most part and drew him out of his shell when I felt he was withdrawing too much." Stef paused, his own wariness showing just then. "Did he tell you... that he observed me, both by myself and with my lovers?"

"Observed?" Jason asked. "Watched you mean?"

A gentle smile appeared on Stef's lips. "Yes, but observed is more appropriate. Watching, from my perspective anyway, means being included in whatever you're watching. Jack kept himself purposely apart. But from what he'd shared with me afterwards, it helped. Do you two think it did, after all these years?"

"I can't say. I have nothing to compare it to," Jason answered.

"To what are you referring?" Daniel asked. "Sex?"

Stef's smile broadened slightly. "Sex? Well... sort of. Giving pleasure and release. Over the time he was here, Jack observed The Scene. He seemed to enjoy what he saw. Well, enjoy in that it brought him satisfaction, healing some of the emotional wounds that that prison created in him. The physical ones were long since gone. Is he still having nightmares? He's said he hasn't been, but you know how he downplays things."

"He hasn't had any for quite a while," Daniel answered carefully.

Stef's pleased expression altered slightly around his eyes. "If I'm right, that's very likely your doing."

Bewildered for a moment, they both refused responsibility. "It's Jack's doing," Daniel said, shaking his head.

Stef disagreed with a little more firmness to his tone. "I'm pretty sure it was you. From our phone calls and emails, he's told me a lot about you. He brags, do you know that?"

They were dumbfounded. "He does?" the two men asked.

"He loves the two of you very much and places a lot of trust in you. Nightmares from trauma don't disappear that easily until the person feels secure in their surroundings."

"I understand that very well," Daniel said clearing his throat while it was Jason who chose to remain silent.

"Do you know what it means to him to have you two?"

Daniel nodded once. He got up then and went to grab his tea, taking a long swallow. He turned back and found Stef's eyes on him.

"It's a little daunting to have that responsibility, but I wouldn't change having it. I'm glad I was able to break through his defenses and help. I have a question now. Is Jack the reason you wanted to talk to us, because if you want to talk about him..."

Jason caught on and nodded quickly. "We'd rather he was here."

"No offense is intended. I am here for his sake because he's my friend and I don't use the term lightly. I wanted the chance to talk to you, to feel you out, if you'll pardon the expression. Jack said that if you wanted my help with anything personal, that I should do what I can... if anything."

Jack had told them that, too, but it still felt... strange, although they couldn't find anything wrong with talking to Stef.

"In what way would you help?" Jason asked, folding his arms.

"Self-knowledge, making yourselves and Jack happy."

"Self-knowledge?" Daniel asked. "At the risk of repeating myself, what could you tell us that we don't already know?"

"If you like, I can read for you, let you decide if whatever I see helps or not. In the end, it's just a little extra knowledge and that never hurt. Even if it's just simple sexual tools to enhance your relationship."

Jason snorted. "Do you think we need help there?"

Stef gave him a stern look. "No, I don't. What I meant was enhancement. Something that's fun to know but wouldn't change the nature of your relationship as it is."

"Stef, what're you up to?" Jack asked from the door, taking in the silence.

"What you surmised he'd be up to," Daniel said, looking at Jack over the rim of his glass. Inside, he felt both anticipation and fear, but he didn't have a clue where the fear was coming from.

Jack leaned against the counter, shoving his hands in the front pockets of his shorts. "Don't waste much time, do you?" he quipped, giving Stef a curious look.

Stef shrugged. "Strike while the iron is hot and all that."

"We have more than a few days, Stef."

"It may take that long for your lovers to trust me."

"Maybe not," Jason said as he brought his eyes back to Stef's, his intense gaze forcing the man to look at him. He was very curious in what this man could possibly divine that he hadn't. "I'm interested. When?"

"Jason?" Jack asked, admittedly surprised, though he should have known since Jason was more introspective than he or Daniel.

"I'm interested in what he could possibly intuit, Jack. Stef?"

"I'd like to invite you all for lunch, so after that?"

Jason agreed with a nod. "And the... talk would happen where?"

"I'd suggest the guest bungalow, but the location is up to you," Stef answered diplomatically.

Daniel stared into his tea before looking into Stef's eyes. "How long will it take?"

"That will be up to you," Stef said, then offered, "It depends on what I may or may not be able to help you with, if you should need it, that is. Sometimes it takes a few hours, sometimes a few days."

Daniel swallowed, and with just the briefest glances at his lovers, said, "Jason, you want to go first, or shall I?"

Jason nodded. "I'll go first."

Stef sighed, a little disappointed at Jason's and Daniel's attitudes although he wasn't surprised by them. Facing your own secrets was more than a little intimidating. Giving Jack his full attention, he said, "Looks like you're last, laddiebuck."

"Save the best for--" Jack started in his mimicry of an Irish accent and Daniel's hand shot out over his mouth.

"Jack..."

Jack grabbed his hand. "It's not _that_ bad."

**.**

On their way through the salon to the dining area, with his lovers' eyes wide and appreciatively looking around, Jack slipped an arm around Jason's waist and pressed in behind him. "You ready for him?" he asked, knowing Jason knew what he meant.

Jason squeezed his arm about him. "I think I can handle whatever he can throw at me."

"You're curious, aren't you?" Jack pushed.

Jason looked over his shoulder, eyes not fixed on anything. "Yes." He turned then, eyes fixed on Jack's with a hard intensity. "If it should lead to... doing something more than talking, how would you feel about that?" Daniel was suddenly behind him, chin resting on his shoulder. "You, too."

Daniel kissed his jaw. "If it goes there, Jason, I'm okay with it because it's something you want. But you knew that."

"I had to ask."

"I know."

"Jack?"

"It's fine with me," Jack told him quietly. "Does that go for me, as well?"

"Not necessary to ask, Jack," Jason replied.

"If I'm fine with Jason, I'm fine with you," Daniel told him with mild annoyance. "Why wouldn't it be the same?"

"Just asking, Daniel."

"Ah huh, well then, as Juliet said to Romeo, I gave thee mine before thou didst request it."

Jason sniggered at the grimace on Jack's face. "You know you liked it," he said, grabbing Jack around the neck with one arm and kissing him quickly, still laughing at his lover's usual dislike of romantic quotes. If they'd been in bed, Jack wouldn't have had a problem.

Jack pushed Jason fondly away from him. "Yeah, but _Juliet_? You know what happened between those two."

"Yeah, but it's a great line, Jack."

Jack conceded that with a grumble.

"Sorry to interrupt," Stef said, walking in from the galley, "but would..." He paused and took in Jack's expression. "Is everything okay?"

"It's fine, Stef. Just my guys giving me a hard time."

Stef's lips quirked with the hint of a smile. "Are you giving him a _hard_ time?"

"As often as I possibly can, Stef," Daniel answered.

Stef winked at Jack, then asked, "Instead of having all of you wait, would you like to help with lunch?"

"Sure," Jack offered, echoed by his lovers.

As Jason and Daniel spent more time with the man, watching and listening as he joked and traded stories with Jack, they gauged the quiet tenor of his voice, his handsome appearance, and the general pleasing demeanor of his character. In the end, they decided that they trusted him a lot more than they had only a few hours earlier. Anything more would have to be played by ear.

With lunch finished, Stef served a special cognac in the salon. Arranged on two long sofas, Daniel and Jason sat on one, Jack and Stef on the other.

"I know you're worried about to talking to me," Stef said, bluntly getting to the subject on everyone's mind.

"I don't have a problem talking to you, Stef," Jason told him. "It's just that I'm not sure what exactly to talk to you about. I have my own issues, sure, and even though I agree that small issues tend to solve large problems, I'm not sure the ones I have are worth talking about. I'd like to know a few things, so talking with you won't hurt."

"Daniel?" Stef asked.

"I agree with Jason. Learning is never a waste of time."

After a moment's hesitation, Stef said to all three of them, "What I've noticed so far is that there seems to be a bit of discomfort about dominance and submission, and they've become issues. Jack's already confirmed this, but does anyone want to talk about that now?"

Jack glanced at his lovers. "Maybe it would be better to talk to us individually first, then we can talk about it as a whole."

"Why?" Daniel asked.

"Because I think there're things Stef might say to us singly that he wouldn't want to say openly just yet."

"Jack!" Daniel scowled. "What difference does that make? I've nothing to hide from you and Jason."

"I think you might find some subjects easier to talk about in private, Daniel."

"Such as?" Daniel asked just a little louder. He didn't like the idea of hiding. Jack had been right about not wanting to hide their physical relations but now Daniel didn't want to hide the emotional. It bothered him that it was necessary. What could there be to hide? They knew everything. Well, a lot, anyway. There was nothing he'd keep back though.

Jason touched his knee at that moment, a sign for Daniel to calm down and it confused him. Was he upset? Daniel took a deep breath and looked at him, seeing the worry. "I'm fine," he answered automatically, his hand going over Jason's. Then Jason leaned over and whispered in his ear. _"Jack's talking about Hathor, Daniel."_

Daniel suddenly colored, cheeks going flame red. "Oh." He grimaced, hating that her name had come up. "Okay, I admit there's some things I rather not discuss," he said, looking across at Stef, then said to Jack, "but it doesn't mean I won't if they're necessary. That post-trauma is under control, Jack. I know it won't ever go away, but I've got it handled."

Jack gave him an acquiescent nod. "I'm just sayin'."

"I know. It's appreciated."

Stef knew right then and there that whatever had happened _wasn't_ being handled. It was being repressed. It wasn't his responsibility, however, to discuss whatever it was, nor did he plan to just yet. Not until after his first talk with Daniel; that way he could gauge the emotional temperature--so to speak. Whatever it was, he felt this deep need to ease whatever pain Daniel was shielding himself from.

Right now, Daniel's private issue included, what Stef could see were issues of control and levels of submission that had little to do with overt D/S, but it was there. He wanted to help them all, though Jack had been right. They could certainly be happy enough in their lives without getting, as Jack called it, their heads shrunk.

"In deference to Daniel's curiosity, I'll tell you what I've observed so far--and it'll probably sound stupid in that the answers are already known. What I'm doing is kind of reconfirming them. So... here we go. None of you, Jack included, have any desire to participate in the Lifestyle, but each of you have your own levels of power exchange that you may or may not wish to explore further. I'll explain what I mean later. One more thing. Whether you acknowledge it or not, the three of you already live a very mild version of the D/S Lifestyle."

Daniel laughed. "That could apply to just about everyone, Stef. We all have our power exchanges."

"Yes, but the difference is in acknowledging and acting on them. It might be more appropriate for you three to use the biological terms of alpha and beta, rather than the D/S terms Dom and Sub, but both are interchangeable in my experience."

Jason's smile was sardonic. They all knew, but they didn't _know_. "Daniel would be considered our Dom, wouldn't he?"

Daniel stared at him, startled. "I don't want to be a Dom," he refuted.

Jason shook his head. "You're a subtle one anyway, Daniel. That puts Jack and I as Subs, though I have trouble swallowing that, even with the spanking."

Jack grinned at him, but furrowed his brow in concentration as he thought of the information he'd recently learned about the spanking subject. "I agree. I don't feel that my attraction to spanking is a submissive quality, but it might be." He shrugged and looked at Stef, who smiled back.

"Do you want to talk about that now, or wait till later?"

Jack gave his lovers an apologetic look. "Is later okay with you?"

"Why are you asking us?" Daniel asked, confused.

"Because you're his lovers and he respects your opinions," Stef clarified, slightly chiding. "Or aren't either of you aware of that?"

Daniel flinched. "I'm aware, but it's that I'm too used to making sure what we do is independent of each other so we don't get bogged down on what the others think. Hasn't turned out that way, but it doesn't keep me from trying. Overcompensating for the triad relationship, I guess."

"You love them, Daniel, that's all."

"I know."

"He's as stubborn as Jack is," Jason had to comment.

"And you're not?" Daniel asked, brows going up. "You're also as overprotective."

"No comment," Jason replied, getting a gentle laugh from his lovers concerning recent events with Alex.

"From what I've learned over the years," Stef went on, "Jack's ability to communicate is definitely due to you two, though mostly, it's Daniel. He's more open than he used to be, though he still gets quite stubborn about things."

"I do," Jack grinned, "and specifically, let's change the subject to something trivial, shall we? For instance, where you got some of those porn movies..."

**.**

On the way back to the main bungalow, Jack asked, "Are you guys going to be okay with talking to him?"

"I'm starting to trust him, Jack," Jason said simply.

"Daniel?"

"I'm... getting there."

"Listen, I know you have to make up your own mind, but trust _me_?"

"That's not a problem, Jack."

**.**

Stef left Jason waiting inside the fetish room while he went to fetch a pitcher of ice water and a couple of glasses. Jason looked around idly, staring at the obvious sexual nature of the room, even though most of the items he knew had very little to do with sex itself. It was more that sex was just another tool of release, the other tools the methods in getting there.

With a sigh, he turned to the doll, looking at it more closely, though with nothing like Daniel's interest. Turning away to make a circuit of the room, examining the other pieces of furniture with the same half-hearted interest, Jason suddenly found himself standing before the sling in the far corner of the room. While in a corner, it was hardly a small space. Suspended from the ceiling, the chains were strong, well-anchored, with a set around two pulleys that Jason figured were designed to adjust height.

Above were additional chains and small restraints, meant for wrists and ankles. This was another form of bondage, Jason knew, but one he'd never tried. It did give him a strange, bewildered thrill looking at it, trying to picture himself lying on the criss-cross leather straps that made up the sling body itself. His legs and arms tingled, and his balls tightened a little as he thought of being held here, hanging in mid-air, being fucked, and fucked again, rendering him senseless. He suddenly wished Jack and Daniel were there. With them, he'd try this, although with Stef...

Jason did have to admit that if anything sexual happened between him and Stef, he certainly wouldn't object, it was just that other than surrendering to lust, he wasn't sure what the point would be. The only thing he expected to happen was that Jack's enigmatic friend would sit, listen, and observe, then dole out some wisdom designed to make his life with his lovers better.

Throughout lunch, Jason had discerned just how intelligent, insightful and intuitive the man was. It made him all the more alluring and made Jason all the more nervous because he had no clue how to read the man in return. It put him on his guard as a result and Jason couldn't relax, despite Stef's calm and reassuring tone. He figured that Stef spoke that way on purpose, unless the man did it by habit, which was entirely possible.

Jason reached out and passed his hand over the cold metal links of one chain when Stef's voice made him jump.

"Does that interest you?" Stef asked as he set the tray of water down on a small table by the window.

"A little, I have to admit."

Jason's nervousness increased as Stef closed and locked the door, drew the blinds closed, then moved to a panel next to the chiffonier. "I plan on enlarging this room. Adding some medical items, and I don't mean treatment for injuries. That's prohibited in my Scenes."

"So the medical items are?" Jason asked.

Stef opened the panel and flicked some switches. Power hummed softly and the air began to circulate. It was slightly cool, but that was okay. "A bed with thigh and feet stirrups. Medical tools. I'm sure you've heard of that kink."

"I have," Jason nodded as the next flick of a switch brought a change in lighting. The harsh overheads were switched off and a dozen recessed lights came on instead, reflecting their golden hue throughout the room. Jason hadn't realized it but now recognized that he'd expected the stereotypical red lights to come on. He was thankful that there weren't any.

Next came the filtering of instrumental music. It held a familiar drum beat and the music played as if the voice tracks had been removed. Jason recognized the tune and smirked as he sat on the edge of the cross table, folding his arms.

" _Secret_. Nice touch."

"Thanks. It has a nicely erotic drum beat that's also relaxing. Is that where you want to sit?"

Jason hadn't paid attention but he'd sat down on the cross table. He stood, waving absently at it. "Sorry."

"Don't be. Jack said that this room makes you nervous as well as aroused."

"Yeah, I'm not used to that so it only makes it worse. That is, not knowing exactly _why_ I'm nervous, but it _might_ be the chains."

"Jack agrees with you. The chains bother him, and understandably so, and likely the reason why none of you explored what's in here, like that table you were sitting on."

"Right," Jason said, wishing to move on. "So, where should I sit?"

"There's a more comfortable place," Stef said, stepping over between the chiffonier and the recessed alcove that held the manacles on the wall. He slid his fingers behind the tall dresser and Jason heard a click. The alcove wall moved slightly and Stef pushed against it, revealing that the alcove's 'wall' was in fact a 'door' to a small room.

Jason took a step, looking inside without actually going into the room. Stef was watching his reaction with a small flicker of amusement and Jason asked, annoyingly, "Your real name isn't Montresor is it?"

Stef grinned gently. "Nothing will hurt you here unless you want it to, Jason. There's also a release mechanism on the inside of the room."

Jason cringed. "I really am wound up, aren't I?"

Stef's hand came up, resting on his shoulder. "It's normal."

Swallowing, Jason nodded and took another step toward the room to get a better look. There was a long padded table against the back wall, like a massage table. Before it were two overstuffed chairs facing each other. That was all that occupied the room.

"A relaxation room?" he asked.

"Mostly. It's designed to make the person feel free to talk about anything they like." Stef walked away and retrieved the tray of ice water. Entering the room, he set it down on the massage table, but instead of sitting down he gestured Jason inside, then closed the door.

They were now _enclosed_ in this small room and Jason felt a strange tension fill him that surprised him because it wasn't _un_ pleasant. It was then that he realized that the walls were painted a pastel mauve color and combined with the golden recessed lighting, they room glowed slightly orange. It made him... _hungry_? He wasn't sure.

"Why the massage table?" he asked, turning just as Stef sat down.

"Sometimes a massage will work out a few knots of tension more than face to face talking."

"And the reason we're in here instead of the living room?"

"The living room is too large, too open. Not as intimate. It has too much a feeling of exposure."

Jason suddenly thought of the conversations he and his lovers had had with Alex. It made sense. With four people, the setting had been intimate, but with just two people... exposure was the word. Which might be exactly what a person wanted, but not for the sort of talking Stef had in mind. "Understood."

"Sit, please," Stef asked softly and gestured at the chair in front of him.

Jason swallowed, hesitated, then sat down, leaning forward on his knees. "Um, how do you want to start this?"

"Does this room make you nervous, too?"

Jason hated to admit it. "A little."

"We can leave," Stef offered, though he didn't move.

"No, it's okay. It's just... despite the furniture, it feels too closed-off. But then it's probably... nevermind, it's silly."

Stef nodded, eased out of his chair and went to another panel in the wall. Flicking a switch, a square in the center of the ceiling slid back and revealed a skylight. It brightened the room and altered the mood of the lighting. "How's that?" he asked.

Jason felt the muscles in his neck relax. "Better. That was pretty damn good. How'd you guess?" he had to ask.

"You aren't hiding yourself, like I think you can. You want to relax but something else is keeping you from doing that. You're acting like a person caught who doesn't want to be. Something a little close to claustrophobic."

Jason felt a little annoyed that Stef had zeroed in on it so fast. It might have taken himself a while to figure that out. "I haven't experienced claustrophobia that often."

"It's the unfamiliarity, I think. But I also think it's me. You don't know what to expect and you don't like that."

Jason gave a nod of acceptance. "Jack and I are both like that."

"Except this is you and me. Jack knows me, so he won't be as nervous. You and I can move to the living room or the bedroom, if you prefer."

"I'm okay," Jason said, shifting more comfortably, though he kept his arms on his knees.

"Does this dual sense of privacy and openness make you more relaxed then?"

"Yeah, it does. As you guessed, I don't like being closed in."

"Do you know why?"

"One pretty bad situation a while back has me leery of rooms without windows. I've gone through similar before. They add up. Although I work underground, that place is familiar. There's no threat there. This place..."

"Isn't a threat, but it's also not familiar. Trust hasn't been established with it as a place to feel secure."

"Exactly."

"Close your eyes, tell me how you feel."

Jason eyed Stef for a second, then did as requested. After a few long seconds, he said, "Relaxed, aroused a bit." He opened his eyes. "Though I think that's more you than the room."

"Thank you," Stef said, taken with the compliment. He pointed at the door, referring to the fetish room beyond. "And how did that room make you feel just before?"

Jason thought about it. "I don't really have a clue why that room both scares me and makes me hard, but Jack and I keep coming back to the chains as the reason for the negative reaction. We've both been at the wrong end of those."

"Yet you can take bondage with no problem."

Jason shook his head. "You know as well as I that the setting is the difference there."

"So it would be for chains, as well."

Jason considered that, then shrugged. "If you say so. I like the idea of that sling, but the chains..."

"Wouldn't bother you after you were in the sling. It's quite a different outlook."

"Have you used it?"

"Yes, but not often. Would you like to?"

Jason fidgeted. "I... don't know. Maybe if Daniel and Jack were here. You..." Jason cleared his throat. "I don't have any problems imagining myself fucking you or getting fucked by you, but..."

"Using something else," Stef finished for him.

"I think so," Jason answered, squashing down the guilt.

"It's not a bad thing."

"I wish you would quit doing that," Jason told him, a smile of annoyance twitching the corner of his lips upward.

"I hate to remind you, but that's why I'm with you right now." Jason's grumble made Stef smile. He contemplated the man for a moment, then asked, "Why don't you tell me about your relationship with Daniel and Jack. Start with a very brief bio of yourself. I don't need details. If I do, I'll ask, okay?"

"And the point of the history lesson would be?"

"To see if there's anything I can help you with, no matter what it is."

"I can think of one thing right off."

"Why don't you start with the history first, then we'll get to that."

Shrugging again, Jason started. He went through a brief family bio, then his meeting Daniel. He started to skip over his feelings, reciting as if dictating a chronological list, but Stef kept interrupting, asking about how he felt about this or that, including his time as a P.O.W. Jason had to be careful about what he spoke about, so it was a little frustrating for Stef not to know the details of their life. But it didn't stop him from asking for detailed feelings concerning Daniel or Jack.

When he came to the arrival on the island, Stef asked for more details on everything they did since arriving. Jason paused at the part about wrist-to-ankle restraints, wondering why Stef hadn't stopped him himself.

"What?" Stef asked.

"You don't want to talk about that?"

"We will. Please continue."

Annoyed, Jason continued, describing everything without getting into graphic detail. Stef preferred emotional feeling to physical detail anyway; or so it seemed.

When Jason was finally finished, Stef got up and refilled their glasses. Handing Jason his glass, he sat back down, but this time on the edge of his chair. "We don't need to talk about the wrist-ankle restraints, Jason. I think you already know why you fear them."

"Sort of. I have an idea, but it doesn't make sense why I like bondage at all if I don't like one version of it."

"You haven't figured it out?" Stef asked, surprised. He was, too, considering Jason's educational training.

"Not... really," Jason said, embarrassed, frowning that he couldn't nail it down. He hated being blindsided by his own mind. "I haven't examined it long enough. I think it's because I won't like the answer. I really do like bondage during sex. The idea of it is enough to get me hard. Makes sex hotter for me." He cleared his throat and shifted a little, making Stef grin.

"Apparently so." When Jason didn't appear to calm down any, he changed tactic slightly. "We're our own worst patients, you know. I have a fear of being hung upside down, yet I practice it on someone else. I can also fly a plane and turn it over without any problem."

Jason started to see what he was getting at but waited for Stef to continue in case he'd gotten it wrong.

"Point is, Jason. Your fear is just what you thought. The P.O.W. camp and being hog-tied. The reason you like most forms of bondage is that they're not restrictive."

"I'm sorry?" Jason frowned.

"You know what bondage is about, Jason. It's freeing most of the time. Some forms are less so, and the wrist-ankle restraints are the most confining of that type. Others, it's not about the restraint because you can get out of them if you have to. Your training has given you the painful ability to be able to dislocate your joints, yes?"

"Yeah," Jason drawled, finally seeing where he was going. "Except that would be exceedingly difficult to do with wrist-ankle, even on a bed, because of the angle."

"Yes, exactly. It's not impossible, but very difficult to do. Usually with another type of restraint, you can free one wrist, then free the other. In wrist-ankle, it's a little harder to get to your other wrist, even if you suspend your ankle over you. That only increases the hatred of the hog-tied position and reminds you of the P.O.W. experience. Because of that, it's unlikely that you'll ever get over your distaste for those particular restraints. You may, some day, but there's no way I'm going to suggest testing my theory. I'll leave that between you and your lovers when you're ready."

Stef paused with the sort of heaviness that told Jason he wanted to say more. Rubbing his palms on his legs, Jason wanted to get up and walk, feeling antsy and restless. He was already trusting Stef after that bit of help so he had no clue where the restlessness was coming from. Perhaps he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. There was always something else. People were always complicated, including himself.

"Jason, there is something else, but I'm wondering, if I say it, it might destroy the rapport we've established here."

Jason looked up from the absent-minded twisting of his pinkie ring. "Screw that. It can't happen now. Tell me."

"Okay. It's your insecurity."

Jason gave him a long look. "Easy to spot, is it?" he asked sarcastically, annoyed but not surprised that Stef had seen it, especially since he wasn't trying to close himself off. What would have been the point, anyway?

"Not really, but you've given it away as you talked about Daniel and Jack, and most especially, Alex. You need to be careful, Jason."

"Why?"

"Because when you told me about their presumed death and your subsequent reunion, I could see the fear that's still there. What I'm getting at is that you're still very afraid they'll die for real, and given your occupation, it's not an unrealistic fear, but your solution to that fear is."

"Solution?"

"It's subconscious. I can see you risking your life more than necessary just so you won't have to face that pain again. You'd rather die than lose them again."

Jason covered his eyes and shook his head, but at himself, not Stef. The man was right. He _could_ very well go that way. "I haven't tried to do that, Stef. I can't leave them."

"Because you don't want to hurt them, so you won't. But even so, the subconscious need to protect yourself is there. Do me two favors?"

"What?" Jason asked, suddenly scared, feeling the tears that were there, unshed, glistening behind his lids.

Stef leaned forward and cupped his face in his hands, giving him a fond look. "The first is to promise _yourself_ that you won't do anything to hasten your own death because of your insecurity."

Jason nodded and took a deep breath, blinking back the water. "I promise. And the second?"

"Don't tell them."

Jason frowned. "What?"

"What good will it do to tell them?"

"I don't lie to them, Stef," but Jason suddenly remembered his fib about Alex. "Well, mostly."

"Jason, you know as well as I that complete honesty is not only stupid but damaging. There are some things lovers _don't_ need to know. This is one of them."

"I still don't like it," Jason sighed.

"I know. To prove it to yourself that it's not a good idea to say anything, answer yourself this: What will Daniel do when you tell him that you're considering killing yourself before he has the chance to die on you again?"

Jason scowled. "I'd never say that!"

"No, you wouldn't, but Daniel's extremely protective, more so than Jack, and he'll interpret it that way, won't he?"

Jason squeezed his eyes shut. "He would. Is he that easy to read?"

"No, he's definitely the most enigmatic of the three of you but there are things I can read that he makes no attempt to hide." Jason opened his eyes then, staring at Stef. "I see how he feels in the way he looks at you, in the way he stands near you. Body language, Jason. Reverse the situation and you'll see my point. If you tell him, Daniel will take it as failing you."

Jason frowned deeply, thinking it over. Stef was right. Daniel would. With a sign of resignation, he accepted Stef's suggestion. "I don't like it, but you're right. I won't tell them."

"Good," Stef replied softly. "Now, c'mere, I think you could use this," and he pulled Jason into a hug, rubbing his back, soothing for the longest time until Jason no longer felt the fear, until the emotion had been blunted.

Moving back, Stef cupped his face. "Feel any better?"

"A little," and he cracked a grin. "Nice job, Stef."

"Thanks. It _is_ my job, one I set myself for my friends, which I consider you to be. Now..." and he moved his hands to the top of Jason's knees, thumbs rubbing lightly. "Is there anything else I could help with?"

Jason searched his mind and suddenly hit upon it. A tiny smile threatened the corner of his mouth and he could see Stef's body relax.

"What?"

"I was wondering... Spanking. I want to know how to do it, if there's a good way and a bad way. I don't want to screw it up. I can guess what needs to be done. All Daniel did before was use his hand on Jack's ass, but if Jack ever wants a paddle or something else, I'd like to know the basics in... well, the strength of the hits, where to apply them, what other things would add to his pleasure and... does any of this sound stupid?"

Stef smiled, shook his head and then surprised Jason by kissing him quickly.

Filled with a sudden high arousal that shocked him more than the surprise had, Jason asked, "What was that for?"

"For _asking_. A lot of people don't."

**.**

Stef tried to give Jason a stern look, but his mouth kept quivering at the edge of a smile, which only made things worse. "Jason, this is for demonstration purposes, so please, could you try not to laugh?"

Jason cleared his throat and bit his lips but Stef had that doll--the one from the closet portion of the chiffonier--over his lap and it was too funny. "Sorry."

"As I was _trying_ to say, spanking is best done methodically and rhythmically." He started to spank the doll again. "Are you listening?"

"Yes," Jason replied, taking a deeper breath and trying very damned hard not to laugh because Stef was trying to be so serious.

"Keep a steady but--"

Stef stopped. This was not going to work. "Jason, you're going to take the doll's place so get over here."

Jason's eyes widened and he lost his urge to laugh. "What?"

"Do you want to learn or not?" Stef goaded, knowing that was the right lure. Stef set the doll on the floor and straddled one arm of the chair, with one foot on the floor and the other braced on the seat. "Over my lap."

Jason's urge to laugh started to reassert itself. "You're not serious are... you?" He could see that Stef was. Rubbing his ass beforehand, he took a large drink from his glass, set it on the tray next to the pitcher and returned to Stef. "Which side do you want me to face?"

"It doesn't matter, but for comfort's sake, bend over my legs with your head toward the seat."

Jason did so, hesitantly grabbing the back of the chair and the other arm, his feet planted squarely.

"Ready?"

"Yeah. If I get hard from this, I guess that'll tell me something won't it?" Jason commented dryly, then a slap came down on his right cheek, making him jump. Warmth spread _everywhere_ , including the cheeks on his face.

"Now, where was I?" Stef said absently, thinking as he rubbed the muscle through Jason's shorts. "Oh, right. Keep a steady but not too intense pace and do not use too much force." He slapped again. "It is the quantity of slaps doing the trick, not so much the impact and force. You're not going to wale on him. Now, the lower part of his ass," and he slapped there, "close to the legs, is more sensitive and so are the rounder sides of his ass. Stay away from the tailbone and any region above that but the thighs and the backs of his upper legs are good."

Stef proceeded to slap him firmly, giving him the right idea.

He stopped, paused, forming a strange yet seductive smile. "One more area of interest in spanking is here." He rubbed between Jason's cheeks, right over his anus, and Jason inhaled sharply. "Softly spanking the anal area with two or three fingers and you'll see something very different in his reactions." With a smile, he added, "Do you want me to show you?"

Jason let out an incredulous laugh. "You're not serious?"

Stef was hoping for that reaction. "I am."

Jason swallowed. Hard. "Do it then," and he dropped his head down, his breath quickening. Stef pulled down his shorts, spread his cheeks, and tapped his hole. Jason couldn't help the groan escaping from his throat.

"I think you've a new kink, Jason," he said quietly, rubbing and caressing the full muscles of his cheeks. "Tied face down on a bed, with a soft set of lashes hitting your ass before Jack or Daniel fucks you. You'll like that, I think."

"Damn you, Stef," he groaned, pushing off his lap and bringing his shorts up in the process.

Standing as well, Stef grinned cheekily as he picked up the doll and took it back to the chiffonier.

"Thank for the spanking lesson," Jason called out as he walked over to refill his glass and drank it down. Turning, he walked out to join the man in the fetish room so he wouldn't have to yell. "I can pass the information on to Daniel."

"You can do that," Stef said, closing the dresser's doors and facing him, "but with it, I'll give you a book I have in the library. That will get you to understand the physical basics. You can ignore the rest because I agree with you. The emotional and psychological needs where Jack is concerned don't apply to the regular art form for spanking purists and non-purists. This form of spanking has little to do with punishment and very much to do with foreplay. Jack's never been into blaming himself for much of anything, except Charlie, and this is _not_ something he'd develop in reaction to that. You're very astute when it comes to your lover's mind, Jason."

Jason felt his cheeks warm at the compliment. "Thanks. I try very much to understand him. He and I are a lot alike in some respects, mostly where the military is concerned."

"I find it odd, however, that you're not more the Alpha than he is when you're at home," Stef confided, giving Jason an appreciative once over. "Generally men in Jack's position, a Colonel in the Air Force and in charge of dangerous missions, are part-time Subs, wanting to have that power and responsibility taken from them from time to time without it having to hurt someone in the process. It's a great release valve. It's very likely that's how this spanking attraction evolved."

Jason swallowed again, nodding in agreement. "He's beginning to be that way with Daniel, but he's more into finding the equality of a situation, more interested in finding peace, fulfilling pleasure. He sets his own worries aside that way, although he doesn't seem to be able to let go of his protective nature. Even when Daniel's _in charge_ ," Jason added with quotation gestures, "he'll always be so protective. Jack's pretty much an enigma."

"So are you."

"Me?" he said, taking a step back and ran into the mechanical version of the doll behind him.

"All three of you, actually," Stef replied, laughing a little as he reached out and rubbed Jason's arm. "I know what you do is highly classified so I won't press, but how do you let off the steam inside the pressure-cooker you work in?"

Jason shrugged. "Sex, cuddling, arguing, eating, building, TV, exercise... life, basically. We have to live it, pretty much, is what I'm saying, or we'd self-destruct very fast."

"Is that why the two of you, Jack especially, have taken the risk in committing to your relationship regardless of the risks involved?"

"We take risks almost every day. Life-threatening ones. Facing charges at home if we're discovered is miniscule."

"Prison isn't miniscule."

"Neither is a life on the run, but I'd rather have that than live timid and miserable and at the whim of a bunch of homophobic lawmakers."

"Is that one of the reasons you're retiring?"

Jason's brow line went up. "One of them. The other is because of dreams I've had. Sort of a genetic thing. My grandfather has them. So do I. I've a question."

"Another one?" Stef teased.

"I've read up on submission and there's something I was wondering."

"Other than your fear that you are a submissive, you mean?" Stef teased again.

Jason made a growling sound and pushed at the man's shoulder. Stef caught his wrist quickly, surprising him, and pulled, bringing Jason close to his body. "Sorry. Ask your question."

"You're not that sorry," Jason jokingly chided, looking down into his eyes, finding it once again strange. Stef still seemed so much taller.

Stef only smiled up at him, and still, he didn't let him go. "Ask."

"I read that shaving your partner is considered a D/S act."

"It's part of it but it's not strictly D/S. Why?"

"I was reading how it's an act of trust when having something sharp placed against your skin."

"Yes," Stef agreed, waiting.

"I've a fetish for blade play."

Stef was pleasantly surprised. This he didn't know. "You left that out."

"I did, didn't I? Sorry about that."

"S'okay."

"What I want to know is, is the psychology the same, regardless of the implement? Blades, as in the feel of sharp, cold steel?"

"You're looking at your other fetishes and trying to see if they all point to D/S, too?"

Jason made a face and nodded. "Yeah, I am. I'm sorry if this is insulting you but--"

"It's not. Being submissive is an identity change, Jason, not a kink to explore."

"Is it?"

"It is."

"Oh."

"I'd say your blade fetish might be interpreted that way but you'll have to act it out to find out for certain."

"I kind of thought so."

Stef took in the disappointment and allowed himself to experience a measure of excitement. "You know, it's been a while since I've done that. Would you mind an experiment?"

Jason felt his entire body grow warm. "No. What's on your mind?"

"One, my own kink in blade play, and two, exploring your feelings as we go."

"What would signal the clear submission?"

"Would it be okay if we do this and talk at the same time?"

"Sure, I guess." Jason didn't have a problem with that if it gave him answers.

Stef paused, took a deep breath to quell his own interest, and said, "Jason, we don't have to do this. I can simply ask you direct questions and your answers will tell you what you need to know."

"Ask me," Jason answered, disappointed. "I wouldn't mind, though. The experiment, I mean."

Stef nodded, grinning. "I was hoping you'd say that. As I said, I haven't played in a while, and doing this as well as discovering something about yourself is a high for me. So, let's take off your shirt. You'll need your skin exposed," and he placed his hands on the bottom edge of Jason's shirt.

"Let me," Jason said, covering Stef's hands.

"Go ahead," and Stef started to let go, but Jason held them, then moved his own hands to Stef's shirt buttons, slowly opening.

"Return the favor?" Jason asked as he started to take his shirt off.

Stef paused and a wide, sexually alluring smile spread over his face as he stepped back and unbuttoned his own shirt. Jason frowned in confusion as he didn't miss a beat and pulled off his shirt, leaving his shorts on. If Stef wasn't stripping down, why should he?

"What's with the smile?" he asked.

"You've no idea the significance of what you've just said to me."

"I'm sorry?"

"You asked me to return the favor, Jason. A gesture of equality. Do you know what that means?"

Jason was distracted for a moment by the tanned chest and the way the shirt opened seductively. It reminded him of Alex's first night with him. Jason shook his head to knock the cobwebs loose. "Sorry, but..."

"Am I distracting you?" Stef asked, walking back up to him with a sly grin.

"You might say that."

"It might help if you kept your eyes on mine," he ribbed.

Jason smirked at him. "Yes, well, considering you're worth looking at..." and he cleared his throat. "Now, explain what you're talking about?"

"You're no more a Sub than I am, Jason. You have submissive qualities but that doesn't make you a Sub. I believe you're getting caught up in the label, which bothers you. That in itself is a clear sign, but I think you know that."

Jason's cheeks colored with embarrassment. "I did, but wasn't sure. I meant no disrespect, Stef."

Stef gave a short, breathless laugh as he reached up threaded his fingers through Jason's hair. "You enjoy rough, forceful sex. You enjoy bondage. You _might_ even enjoy being flogged instead of being spanked," and he grinned as Jason's eyes widened. "But you don't have the submissive temperament." He withdrew his hand, stepped back, then gave him a very different look. Commanding. "Please get down on your knees."

Jason bristled. "Um, okay, but why?"

"There, you see?" Stef pointed, losing his commanding voice and expression. "You bristled, Jason. What's that tell you? What's the first thing that came out of your mouth when I asked you to get on your knees?"

" _Why_?"

"Yes. You see, Subs _want_ their decisions made for them. Do you?"

"No," Jason said, surprised.

"They need their controls, the responsibility taken off their shoulders. If I'd said that to Malcolm, he'd accept the order without question and drop to his knees. You question and resist. That's hardly submissive, is it?"

Jason laughed with guilty relief. "I guess not. I don't mean to sound... well, ungrateful or condescending or--"

"You're not coming across that way, Jason. You're attracted to elements of the Scene, or Lifestyle, but not the Lifestyle itself."

Jason nodded, then asked, "How'd you know about the rough, forceful sex? I thought Jack never went into detail?"

"He didn't. You told me that one of the fantasies you acted out with Daniel and Jack was with you tied to the bed, blindfolded, and that it was the first time you'd been gagged. Daniel had then told a story based on something real that had happened. Going by the tone of your voice, the look on your face, and your overall body language, what happened was a serious turn-on for you and you liked it. Being gagged is one very powerful act in a submissive role-play. I suspect you'd behave that way for Daniel and Jack only? Not Alex?"

"I... don't know," Jason shook his head, knowing that someday soon, he might dream of Alex doing that to him. He leaned into Stef's hand, chills running over his skin as his hair was continually petted. "You're distracting me again," he whispered.

"I know," Stef said quietly. "Where intimacy is concerned, Jason, you're a romantic. Sometimes a gothic romantic, but a romantic."

Jason laughed outright. "I'm not a goth, Stef." He had visions of black eyeliner, lipstick and nail polish. "Besides, I'm not into make-up."

"No, not all Iron Maiden or Edgar Allan with a pendulum swinging," Stef laughed. "It's my own term for roughness tinged with pain outside the Lifestyle." He paused, looking down at Jason's bared abdomen, his laughter dying slightly.

Jason couldn't help the surge of desire that swept through him at such a look. "What?" he asked.

"You have a navel ring but you're not wearing it right now. Why not?"

He shrugged. "I sometimes forget to wear it. Why?"

"Even if they're not in a Scene, Subs rarely forget their jewelry." Stef smiled slyly again. "You're distracting me. Weren't we going to go through a test?"

"I'd say that was one," Jason answered, his excitement rising again.

"But of a different sort." Stef went back to the chiffonier and opened a small drawer, withdrawing a long, curved dagger.

As he approached, Jason felt his skin flush and his entire body twitched as he resisted stepping back. He inhaled sharply as the flat of the dagger's cold steel was pressed over the fleshy curve of a pectoral and slid down across his stomach, turned over and brought back up to the other pectoral. Stef had made an artistic V motion, and repeated it, going back to where he'd started.

Jason's reaction was to bite his lower lip and close his eyes, trying to control the urge to moan.

Stef smiled. "Has Daniel or Jack ever shaved you?"

"A few times." Jason paused, sucked in a breath, and went on. "I keep my hair pretty closely groomed but I let them do that occasionally."

"Good," Stef said, pressing the blade hard against his nipple, grazing it with the blunt edge. "It's amazing, isn't it?"

Jason couldn't move or answer for the moment. He wanted to say something but his eyes were half-focused on Stef's face and his cock twitched maddeningly. Stef brought the blade slowly upward, gliding over his throat and chin. His eyes were fixed on the blade as he moved it over Jason's skin, seemingly mesmerized by the play of silver against darkly tanned skin.

"Tell me," Stef said quietly. "If Jack or Daniel told you to get on your knees, would you do it without question?"

"Um, not necessarily," Jason answered, swallowing as Stef moved the blade down, resting over his navel. "I'd grab them and bring them with me if they asked outright like you did."

"And there you have one answer." Stef slowly moved the blade over the waistband of his shorts, slowing over his hip. His free hand moved back up into Jason's hair and tightened slightly. "Tell me, what are you feeling? Do I have your power right now? Are you freely giving it to me? Or is it just the danger of the blade, the trust you're _lending_ me to do this for you?"

"That last one," Jason whispered, closing his eyes.

Stef purposely slid the blade's blunt edge over his covered erection. "What's this doing to you, aside from making you hard?"

Jason started to answer but couldn't. The blade was too damned distracting.

"Do you want me to fuck you?" Stef asked softly.

Another swallow and Jason felt the heat coil in his balls. "Yes."

"Restrained?"

"No," Jason answered.

"No?"

"No."

"But you're feeling it now, aren't you? You're letting me lead. You won't move until I stop."

"I... no, I can't move."

"You can, but you won't."

"No, I won't move."

"But if I ask you to drop to your knees now and suck me, will you?"

Jason faltered and didn't answer.

"You want to, but not by order."

"Yes."

Stef smiled, bringing the blade back up to his chest, flat side down once more. "Open your eyes, Jason."

Jason opened them and found that Stef had moved the dagger away. Strange. He could still feel the blade.

"If we were to take this to the bedroom, what would you want to happen? I don't have the knife on you anymore. Do you still want to suck me? Do you still want me to fuck you?"

Jason found, to his surprise, that while those ideas were a turn-on, he didn't _want_ to be asked. He simply wanted to _do_.

"What do you want?" Stef asked, stepping forward, moving Jason back against the wall between two shelves.

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do. Tell me."

"I can't."

"Can't or don't want to?"

Jason swallowed yet again, alarmed that Stef seemed to be reading his mind.

Stef set the dagger down on the shelf to Jason's right. "Look up."

Jason looked up, and on the wall over his head, between sections of shelving, were two rings. He looked back down at Stef, then around him, realizing that he'd been maneuvered here on purpose. He wasn't angry. He wasn't disappointed. He was hard and turned-on and liked that Stef had intuited what he'd wanted without Jason having to say a word.

"Would like to give yourself over to me for a little while?"

In answer, Jason reached up without being told and grabbed hold of the thick silver rings, his dark eyes letting Stef know his desire.

Stef's brow rose questioningly, and with a little surprise, or so Jason hoped. "You want it?" Stef asked, moving away and returning with a bottle of oil, turning it over in his hands as if it were something to fiddle with. "You don't want me to ask," and he emphasized it by setting the lube on the shelf and taking the dagger in hand. Flashing it before him, Stef slowly moved it down and pulled open the waistband of Jason's shorts before deftly slicing, twice, and ripping the front of his shorts downward. Jason gasped as his cock sprang free, then frowned in confusion when Stef returned the dagger to the shelf and took the lube in hand. Popping open the pour spout, Stef squeezed a measure of lube onto his hand and applied the cool liquid to Jason's cock.

Which quickly warmed. And warmed some more. Jason's eyes widened. _Heating_ oil. He squirmed and Stef brought his hand back up into his hair, gently threading his fingers through it while he began to slowly jack him. "You don't want me to tell you what I'm going to do. You just want me to do it. This is one of your fantasy turn-ons. You like the raw lust of it. The physical act, taken just for what it is, no matter what it is. I do have one... _request_ that you'd do well to follow. _Do not move your hands from the rings_."

What followed for the next half hour was Jason's hands clenching and unclenching around the rings as Stef reminded him of techniques he hadn't used on his lovers in a long time, ones he now wanted to reacquaint them with. Desperately. Stef repeatedly brought him to the brink, pushing him to feel the smaller, tighter orgasms, before he'd back off and start again. This was also something Jason wanted Jack and Daniel to do to him. Without asking.

Stef was right. He had the qualities, but not the personality. Except possibly, right now, with Stef controlling him with his hand. Correction. With him _giving_ Stef control. He wanted to be fucked. Hard. And what made his balls draw up tight was that Stef knew it too and didn't oblige him.

"There's one thing I should make you aware of before I end this for you," Stef whispered as the knuckles of his fist that had been firmly rubbing over his perineum ceased. He reached up and caught Jason once more by the hair and the hand around his cock slowly drew up the shaft, thumb _finally_ touching the head to rub in quick, tight circles.

"What?" Jason asked, moaning as the sharp tingling heat below his balls began to increase.

"Chains don't bother you in _bed_ , Jason. You _can_ get past your fear of them--and Jack and Daniel can fuck you damn good and hard in a sling placed over your bed."

The realization--and subsequent _hot_ image--was combined with Stef's suddenly rapid twists and pulls, his hand a blur on his cock creating one ceaselessly moving pleasure. As Jason came for the last time, Stef took his mouth, swallowing the cries of pleasure they _both_ made.

**.**

Dressed in another pair of shorts, Jason paused in the front doorway as Stef pulled him down for a soft, brief kiss.

"Did our time together help?" he asked.

Jason noted the very real concern and after what Stef had told him about Doms being givers, he understood better than he had. "Yes, it did." He pulled the man into a hug and whispered, "Thanks."

"I hope I can help Daniel, if he needs it."

Jason nodded as they made their way along the path to the main house. "Providing he lets you. You think Jack's stubborn? He's a kitten compared to Daniel."

"I look forward to it."

"It should be interesting," Jason said with wry amusement.

"How's that?" Stef asked as they stepped onto the deck.

"Because of what you said about Daniel being our Dom."

"And?" Stef asked.

"Just reminds me of putting two roosters in the same hen house."

Stef laughed softly. "You've a suggestion, I take it?"

Jason smiled and whispered, "Only that I think he'd like to know what that doll really feels like."

"Why weren't you interested?" Stef asked.

"I think you know the answer."

"Tell me anyway. Dom's can be wrong, you know."

Jason laughed softly. "Like everyone else, Stef." Then he slipped and arm around Stef's waist and whispered in his ear.

The resulting return growl was a warning. Or a promise.

"I'm going up to check on Malcolm. Tell Daniel I'll meet him in about half an hour?"

"Sure."

Jason felt a shiver as the man walked off toward the dock. There was nothing wrong, but it was just... too easy. He had an unpleasant expression when he found Jack and Daniel sitting on the bed, playing chess. The look on his face changed to a grin when they saw him and put aside their game, sliding it under the bed.

"God, Daniel's playing chess with you?" he asked Jack as he sat on the foot of the bed.

"Don't be a wise-ass," Jack told him.

Jason snickered and stretched out on his side across the foot of the bed. He could see they were curious about the 'reading' but he'd make them wait for it.  "Stef's gone to check on Malcolm. He said he'd meet you in half an hour."

Daniel nodded in acknowledgment, then brought his knees up and clasped his arms around them, giving Jason a thoughtful look. Jack did the same, only he stretched out on his side at a ninety degree angle to Jason, his head close to his lover's.

Jack didn't wait long.  "Well?"

Jason took a break and said, "I'm not a Sub."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "I could've told you _that_."

"Yes, but I wasn't sure, Daniel."

"I was."

"So was I," Jack seconded. "But..." and he smiled mischievously, "how did Stef determine that?"

"By trapping me with his questions," Jason answered. "We determined what I already knew."

"Which is?" Daniel asked, straightening his legs and coming forward to lie on his stomach, expression full of mischief and curiosity. He rested his chin in his hands, elbows pressing into the mattress. "That you're a scoundrel? That you'll sleep with anyone?" It was a deliberate taunt, a reminder of Jack's words over two months before. Only this time, the words didn't hurt.

Jason growled and shot out his hand, fingers finding and digging into the juncture between neck and collarbone, a particularly ticklish spot when Daniel was in that position. Daniel laughed loudly and shoved Jason's hands off.

" _Which is_... that I like to both bottom and top with you," Jason answered, cuffing him, making Daniel duck and laugh. Jason desisted and leaned toward Jack, brushing an airy kiss over his lips, saying seductively, "And that I prefer to bottom with you."

Before Jason could pull back, Jack grabbed him by the back of the head and pulled him in for a rough, searing kiss. Jason couldn't help the throaty moan, nor his hand through Jack's hair, pulling him in harder, wanting his tongue deep in his mouth; he couldn't help the fiery need inside him, either--the one that made him want to turn onto his back and let Jack have him, proving Stef's conclusions.

Jason broke off, panting, feeling Daniel's fingers under his jaw, then his lips were on his own, taking Jack's place. It hadn't been that long since Stef had gotten him off but damn if his lovers weren't making him hard again. All he wanted at that moment was to kiss and touch and feel nothing more than their hands and mouths and their heavy weight pressing him down. Jason may not be a Sub, but he was close enough to something like it with his lovers.

Eventually Daniel let him go, leaving Jason gasping. Not that he minded the attention from his lovers, but he knew them very well. "Okay, and all that kissing was for?"

"What else happened?" Daniel asked pointedly, flicking a finger under Jason's jaw as a scold for making him wait.

Jason frowned and searched through what he and Stef had talked about. "Oh, right. Um, those ankle restraints are exactly what we thought. Reminders of my P.O.W. experience. Stef wasn't about to try and desensitize me to them, saying it was better done between us," and he added with a small, uncomfortable grin, "and I tend to agree." He could see that they believed him, that there was nothing else but the restraint issue. It was a bit sad, really, having to hide from them.

"So..." Daniel began, hand going to the waistband of his shorts and snapping it against his skin. " _Nothing_ else happened?"

"Well..." Jason grinned, remembering Stef's touch with vivid sense memory. "He jerked me off."

Jack started laughing, shaking his head. "And that wasn't anything you started?"

"With a Dom?" Jason asked, eyes widening. "No, he started that one, Jack. He was making a point."

"Which was?" Jack asked.

Stef cleared his throat from the doorway. "Sorry to interrupt."

"You're not," Jack automatically said, sitting up, noticing that his friend was barefoot and had changed into light blue jeans and a white sleeveless shirt, untucked and unbuttoned halfway. His wavy hair hung about his shoulders, contrasting nicely in the overall effect.

Nice touch, Jack mused appreciatively. The shirt itself was thin so his tan shadowed the fabric. The dark hair on his chest was easily seen, sparking Jack's memories of the fine hair that grew in an outward pattern flat against his skin. He cleared his throat, wondering just how much Stef would allow him to keep his hands off him. When the time came, Jack _knew_ he'd go after the man; he knew it like breathing.

"Thought I was meeting you?" Daniel asked, catching Jack's once-over. He wanted to tease but refrained as he found himself giving his lover's friend the same once-over. What made him smile was Jason's deliberate avoidance of looking directly at the man. Interesting, Daniel thought.

Stef approached them and sat down near Jason's feet, his hand out to keep Daniel where he was. "Anytime you're ready but you don't need be in a rush. Mind if I butt into the conversation?"

Jason grinned and gestured at him. "Be my guest. You heard?"

"That last part, yes."

"Enlighten us then," Jack said with typically good-natured sarcasm and Daniel couldn't keep the grin off his face.

Stef regarded them both thoughtfully. "Jason's bondage needs have nothing whatsoever to do with being a Submissive. There is a need for _force_ , and in so saying, you should understand that there's a big difference between _succumbing_ to force and voluntarily _submitting_ to a Dom." He paused and stared intently at Jason. "What I did to emphasize this was gently force him against the wall, then I told him to grab the rings in the wall overhead." He glanced at Jason's lovers before saying, "While he held on, I ripped the front of his shorts down... using a dagger, by the way... and then proceeded to jerk him off."

Jason colored, despite himself, and added, "For half an hour, give or take."

The words were met with aroused silence and with a mischievous grin, Stef rose and held out his hand. "Shall we go, Daniel?"

**.**

After Daniel left with Stef, casting a strange look back at them before disappearing, Jack moved off the bed and walked toward the chiffonier. "With a dagger, eh?" he asked.

Jason had moved to lean back against the pillows but Jack's question put him on alert. He pushed off the bed and looked across the room, watching Jack warily. "Yeah, with a dagger," he said as he felt his balls tingle with arousal. "You know how I am about sharp metal blades."

Jack grinned to himself as the desire to do this increased. He figured this was as good a time as any to do what he'd been planning, and it would also keep his mind off whatever Stef had planned for Daniel. The way the man looked... Jack wouldn't be surprised if Daniel wasn't curious in touching that man's body hair.

He opened the upper portion of the chiffonier and then the small cover door that hid the shelves on the left. Just what he'd hoped. A dagger sat on the second shelf and it gleamed like a beacon. Picking it up, he turned.

Jason took a step and froze. His heart began to race slightly, and he knew it'd get faster if Jack went through with this and weren't just teasing him.

"Jack?"

Jack waved the blade in front of him, watching the metal reflect off the light. He thumbed the edge, testing the sharpness, moving to the tip. "Nice." Looking up abruptly--without moving his head--he said, "Get on the bed, Jason."

"The bed?" Jason asked, knowing what it meant, and something compelled him to take a step back.

"Well, it's the most comfortable," Jack said casually, watching Jason carefully as he flashed the blade back and forth. "Unless you'd rather do this on the floor, in the kitchen or... out in front of the yacht."

Jason felt the sweat rise on his skin as he backed up toward the bed. Fun as those other suggestions sounded, he needed to be where the supplies were handy. The bed actually surprised him as it hit the back of his legs and he pushed backward over the mattress as Jack closed in and crawled over him. He felt his heartbeat quicken, his balls tighten. Jack hadn't even touched him yet.

Jack brought the knife close, presenting it over Jason's face before he lowered it, whispering the surface of the cold steel over Jason's chin. His lover quietly inhaled and craned his neck, giving Jack access, and he took it, sliding the blunt edge over his skin, moving over his Adam's apple to the hollow. He watched with rising lust as Jason swallowed hard, his eyes rolled back into his head, hands fisting the quilt.

"God, look at you," he whispered, amazed at what this did to Jason. "You're mine now, do you know that?"

"Yes," Jason breathed, closing his eyes.

Jack brought the tip of the knife just under the collar of his tank top and nicked it, the sharpness of the blade easily slicing it open like a hot knife through butter. Jason hitched a breathy moan and Jack continued, going over his sternum, slicing the cotton down the center, all the while watching Jason's beautiful, seductive reactions to the knife.

Not bothering to spoil the moment with words just yet, he sat up and set the dagger down, grabbed the open ends of the torn shirt and ripped outward, pulling it from Jason's shorts, revealing his chest and abdomen, and finding that Jason had found his navel ring on the dresser in the other bungalow--the new one that Jack had gotten him before coming to the island.

"You found the ring, I see," Jack whispered, pulling Jason's shorts down. "Please keep it on for a while, okay?"

"I would but you keep biting it off."

Jack sniggered. "It feels good, doesn't it?"

"Yes."  Panting, Jason forced his eyes open as he lifted his hips, allowing Jack to strip him of his shorts while he tossed the remains of his own shirt to the floor.

"When you wear it, you're mine," Jack told him, leaning down to tongue the small gold ring with the diamond bead.

"Except that I always have been," Jason whispered and sat up halfway to grab Jack and pull him down on top of him, kissing him deeply, hands hungrily seeking fistfuls of shirt and ripping it open across Jack's back. Jack growled in his mouth and kissed him more wildly, hips thrusting with maddening need.

Breaking off, panting for breath, Jack left red bite marks over his throat as his hands moved everywhere, searching for places to bruise while Jason tore off the remains of his shirt and tossed it to the floor with the other casualties. Pulling back, eyes dark and heavy with ideas, Jack straddled his lover's thighs and picked up the dagger. Looking over Jason's body, he mused aloud, "Where to begin," and toyed at the navel ring with the sharp tip of the blade.

**.**

Stef refilled the pitcher and returned to the small alcove room, pouring a glass for Daniel while his guest still looked around the fetish room, examining the items on the shelves. Stef hadn't missed Daniel's obvious nervousness, though the man hid it fairly well, but he did know that that nervousness was aimed at him, not so much anything inside the room itself. Standing in the alcove's doorway, he watched Daniel moved around the room, taking the time to look and admire what he saw.

Daniel turned his head at that moment, and glanced twice when he realized that Stef was looking him over. With a tiny grin, he decided to start this off with something Stef had said in the bedroom. "So you found Jason's weakness for force. That's pretty good. Jack and I know, so we're used to reading him, but he hides it well. You're very astute in reading him."

Stef shrugged. "Maybe he just wanted me to see it."

The corner of Daniel's mouth twitched as he replied, "Perhaps."

"Mind if I make a personal observation at the outset?" Stef asked him.

Daniel gave him high-browed expression, as if Stef should know better than to ask something so obvious. Stef returned it with a smirk. "Jason's not the only one who has an attraction to force, Daniel."

Daniel set down the short, thick, and slightly curved glass dildo and turned to him. "Really?"

Stef couldn't help but smile. Jason was right. This was going to be very interesting. "Are you interested in that?" he asked, walking over, gesturing the dildo with his eyes.

Daniel betrayed his interest by touching the smooth surface with a fingertip. "I've used straight ones, ribbed ones, but never one as short or thick like this one is. I've heard about these, but never seen one. It's surprisingly light. Aren't these meant specifically for women?"

Stef reached across his hand and picked up the toy. "The thinner ones can be. Not this one. I had it made."

Daniel couldn't help the sneaky grin. "For yourself?"

"That, too," Stef added, his smile leaving his mouth but not his eyes. "Would you care to try it?"

Daniel stared back at him, trying to read him in his own way. He sensed desire and curiosity. "With you or with Jack and Jason?"

"That's up to you," Stef replied cheekily. "Come, let's have a seat."

Daniel felt his own curiosity step up a notch as he followed Stef into the small room and sat down. Stef handed him the glass of water he'd poured and sat down with his own.

"I'd like to ask you about force, if that's okay?"

"What, no history?" Daniel asked brashly over the rim of his glass.

Stef paused as he swallowed a mouthful of water, eyeing him carefully before chuckling. "Do you know that you do that on purpose?"

"What, look over the rim of my glass?" he asked. It was purposely rhetorical. Yes, Daniel knew. With another bold grin, he asked, "Are you going to tell me why I do it?"

Stef shook his head and set his glass down in his lap, feeling the cold hardness of the glass nicely arousing his cock. It made a slightly darker stain against his jeans and he held back the grin when Daniel's eyes traveled down.

"I asked Jason about your relationship."

"So he said."

"His descriptions of certain fantasies got me thinking."

"About?" Daniel asked, sipping at his water, sucking in a small ice cube to crunch.

"First let me say that the only reason I bring this up is to enhance your relationship... well, mentally. It doesn't need it but I thought if I could help, I'd like to."

Daniel grinned, though he shook his head. "And there's nothing in it for you?"

"I love to give, Daniel. If I can help, I would love it if you'd let me."

"And that would mean what?" Daniel couldn't help asking. "Seducing me perhaps?"

"I don't think you need seducing, Daniel," Stef replied with a small laugh.

"Or want?" Daniel offered.

"Ah, _want_ , on the other hand, is a horse of a different color, if you'll pardon the expression."

"I'm somehow getting the idea that you're not talking about seduction."

"Force is a kind of seduction, but wanting to be forced is a form of seducing yourself, and it's intensified when the other person obliges." Stef sat forward, his knees outside Daniel's; he could feel a shiver of excitement run through him as the heat from Daniel zipped through his legs and straight to his groin. "A person shows a lot through body language and action. I read between the lines."

"Really. And those lines tell you what?"  Stef didn't answer. Instead he brought his glass to the inside of Daniel's right knee, the cold making Daniel suck in a breath, but he didn't move; he didn't dare. He wanted this to happen.

Stef slid the glass up the inside of his naked thigh, and all the while, he watched Daniel's eyes. Leaning forward even further, he brought the glass to his groin, rubbing the edge of the bottom part of the glass against his balls and up along the shaft of his slowly stiffening cock.

Daniel bit his lip and gripped his glass tighter while his free hand dug into the arm of the chair. Stef slid the hard edge of the glass up and down his erection and Daniel couldn't help the small movements of his hips that lifted to meet the caress. "This isn't force," he said quietly.

Stef smiled and shook his head slightly. "No, it isn't. But you didn't ask, did you?"

"No," Daniel answered with a sly smile. "I didn't."

"There are levels. This is mild. The seduction." He pushed the glass down a little harder as he moved it so that the cold sweat darkened Daniel's shorts, showing a little more of what lay underneath. Moving the glass away, he said, "If I do this," and he removed a cube of ice, "and placed it against your cock, sliding it up and down..." He followed words with action, but through Daniel's shorts, not over his bared skin.

Daniel sat forward slowly and leaned to the side to place his own glass on the floor. Stef pressed harder, making him inhale, and Daniel had to have that ice on him. Now. He grabbed the waistband and pushed them down, revealing his cock, but at that point, Stef moved back. Dropping the ice cube back in his glass, he set it on the floor and pulled Daniel's shorts down the rest of the way.

They were silent, rarely looking away from each other's eyes as Daniel lifted one leg, then the other, assisting Stef, who dropped his shorts on the floor. When he started to drop his feet back down, Stef stopped him, moving them instead to drape over the arms of the chair. Leaving him open.

Daniel gripped the chair's arms, waiting for whatever came next. When Stef stood up, he met his gaze squarely, but felt somehow exposed because he'd left his shirt on. With a quick crossing motion, he pulled off his shirt and flung it next to his shorts, daring Stef to take the next step.

"Don't move," Stef told him with an aroused smile, looking him over before he left the room. When he returned, he held the glass dildo and a bottle of lube. Daniel's eyes locked on it, ignoring the lube, excitement spreading through him. Stef set the items on the table, then slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

Daniel couldn't sit there. Whatever Stef planned, he'd have to adjust it. Standing, he moved in behind him. "Leave it on," he asked. He could have made it a question, but that would go against the point of this little... exercise. Reaching around, he unbuttoned Stef's jeans and pushed them down, grinning to himself that the man had gone commando. Letting them drop, Stef stepped out of them, then turned swiftly and grabbed Daniel by the hair, hand at his hip.

"What do you want?" he asked, his eyes nearly black with desire.

"Whatever you can give me," Daniel answered, somehow knowing it was the right answer at this point.

Grabbing the dildo and lube with one hand, and Daniel's hand in the other, Stef led him out of the room and toward the half-moon bed-table. Setting the dildo and lube on a shelf, he placed his hands on his shoulders and turned Daniel to face the doll. Daniel shivered at the breath at the nape of his neck, and at the sight of the doll.

"Another type of force, isn't it?" Stef asked him, kissing his neck softly before suddenly spinning him around, grabbing hold of him, kissing him hard.

Though surprised, Daniel started to kiss him back, but Stef broke away and pulled him over to the bed. "Feet spread, hands on the bed," he said softly, and though the words were like an order, their tone was not. Daniel got into position, breathing hard, thinking, was he really going to do this? He'd fantasized about it, gotten hard by it when he'd played around with it. But he'd been clothed then. He was naked now. He curled his fingers, pressing the tips into the black leather padding and looked down. God, he was so hard.

Stef was behind him somewhere and Daniel didn't look to find out where. He liked not knowing; liked the surprise. Was that it? "Surprise is part of it."

"Yes," Stef said, making Daniel jump when he touched him, one hand on his ass, the other on his lower back. The cold of the lubed dildo was against his skin, pushing inside, _turning_ , and Daniel gasped as his gland was hit.

"Just ride it out," Stef whispered, hand _holding_ him as he moved the dildo back and forth in a strange, curved thrusting.

It was good, new, and Daniel couldn't stop the twitching of his body as it burned with pleasure. Please, he thought. _More_. He didn't want to ask for the doll. He wanted...

He wanted...

Just as the realization hit him, Stef slowly slid the dildo from him and eased him back, making him straighten.

"I think maybe you missed this before," Stef told him, and reached around in front of him. Daniel looked down and watched in surprise as Stef peeled back a square flap of leather, attached to the bed with velcro at one end. Underneath was what looked like a glory hole only Daniel couldn't see what lay beyond. He was suddenly aware that sweat had risen all over his body and staring at the hole, and why Stef had revealed it... He grew lightheaded from both exhilaration and apprehension.

Stef startled him, interrupting his focus as he took hold of his cock and placed the head at the entrance. "Slide inside," he whispered. Daniel pushed in, gasping in surprise by the tight fit. He thrust his arms out, elbows locking, his fists grabbing at the overstuffed padding. "Wow."

"Just wait. Now it gets better," and Stef pulled his hips back. The _suction_ was extraordinary.

"Oh fuck," he groaned, his breath stolen from him by the amazing sensation.

"Fuck it," Stef told him, lips at his ear, speaking seductively, and without question, Daniel plunged in and pulled out, again and again.

"God, this is fucking amazing," he breathed, and he kept thrusting, fucking the hole. It was weird and bizarre and it felt so damn good. He wanted to ask how this worked, but told his brain to shut the hell up. Right now, he didn't care. Even the hum of the motor behind him didn't stop him from riding the pleasure the sleeve gave him. It was a _surprise_ , and it was different and good and the best startling feeling he'd ever had. He kept fucking it, thrusting in and pulling back just so he could get that wonderful sucking motion around his cock. He was so preoccupied with it that he didn't hear the hum coming closer.

Then Stef's hands were on his hips, stopping him as Daniel thrust deep.

"Stop, don't move."

Daniel wanted to fight him, doing this his own way, but he wouldn't. The next thing he felt was a solid weight pressing against his anus, pushing, breaching, and his eyes widened. It was hot and hard and it... wasn't alive. The doll.

"Push back," Stef told him.

Daniel heard the hum then and pushed back, pulling out of the sleeve, feeling a combination of sucking and being fucked. Like being in a sandwich with his lovers. But was this an issue of force? He wanted it, wasn't about to stop, so was it?

Right now, he didn't care. He knew what Stef was doing now. He thrust forward, then backward, double-fucking himself. The doll's cock wasn't in deep, but it didn't need to be. This was so much better. It also occurred to him that Stef had intuited that he would like _this_. Daniel knew that he did, and fuck, Stef was _good_.

Keeping his arms locked, Daniel kept going, giving himself a slow and easy rhythm, driving himself insane with build-up, not wanting to come. It was too good.

"Enjoy the ride, Daniel," Stef said, hand caressing his back, tongue licking his shoulder, his neck.

"God, yes," Daniel whispered and closed his eyes.

**.**

Jack drew the blunt edge of the knife along the sweat-damp skin of his lover's jaw, mesmerized by how he made Jason arch back, eyes half-closed. He drew the blade downward, over breastbone and stomach, over the gold ring. Jason inhaled, breath hitching, his lust drawn higher by the dangerous play.

Jack rocked his hips back, pulling out just enough, enjoying how the friction caused by Jason's body sent pin pricks of pleasure over his skin. "You look so good this way," he murmured, bending down for a kiss as he slid the cold steel up and over a sweaty nipple, rewarded with a moan. He kissed harder, loving the knowledge that he'd driven Jason wild, turning him into a type of paradox--unresistant, boneless, yet his body was tight with tension as he was wound toward final release.

"Jack," Jason whispered, curling his fingers around his cock, stroking himself. "I can't... I need..."

Jack gave him a predatory smile. "Feel too good?"

"Yes," his lover complained, a smile showing.

"You need to wait a little longer," Jack told him and rubbed the dull end of the blade back and forth over the other nipple, making Jason groan loudly. "Yes, c'mon, give it up for me," and he thrust three times, deep, fast, then forced himself to stop. He was beginning to agree with Jason. This teasing, drawing out of pleasure, couldn't go on much longer. His balls were practically screaming at him. But there was one thing he had yet to do.

Sliding the knife back down his body, Jack slowed and watched Jason's face as he rubbed the steel firmly down the length of Jason's cock.

"Jesus," Jason gasped, closing his eyes. "Jack, I can't hang on if you keep doing that."

Bringing the blade up slowly, Jack moved his knife hand to rest beside Jason's face. "Too much for you?"

"Fucking bastard," Jason grated as he grabbed Jack by the nape and pulled him down for another lip-bruising kiss. His hips took over, thrusting upward rapidly; his free hand on Jack's ass, holding him as Jason tried to force Jack to finish him.

"Then take it," Jack growled, dropping the knife to loop his arms under his lover's knees, holding Jason open as he drove them both over the proverbial cliff.

**.**

The double fuck was so good but Daniel couldn't take much more. It was too damn good, the pleasure becoming acute, and just as he was about to say something, despite his unwillingness to actually _stop_ , Stef was doing it for him. The doll was pulling away, pulling out, and the loss was almost painful.

Daniel groaned. "Stef--"

But he didn't finish his sentence before Stef shoved him down, pressing his chest against the leather of the bed, hands on his shoulders.

"This is what you really like, Daniel," Stef was saying as he pushed his lubed cock inside him.

Daniel gasped, feeling the difference immediately and he hands scrambled for purchase on the bed as his body was awakened with lust. "Fuck!"

"Yes, Daniel."

"But it's not force," Daniel gasped, closing his eyes.

"No, Daniel, it isn't. You like the force, but what you really love is the _surprise_."

"God," Daniel said, realizing how true it was. He held on, needing to be finished, hearing himself growl at Stef not to stop. Stef's fingers dug into his hips as he pushed and pulled at him, keeping the rhythm aggravatingly slow.

"This is what you love, Daniel," Stef told him. "Controlled force combined with surprise--and always with someone you trust."

Daniel was only half-listening but he understood Stef's words. The only question that came to him was, when had he decided to trust Stef? Was it because of Jack's belief in the man? At the moment, it didn't matter. His need took precedence. "Surprise me then," he challenged. "That is, if you can."

"Are you familiar with tantric practice?" Stef asked as he slowly pulled his cock free, his body shaking with pleasure.

"A little, why?"

**.**

Daniel was met with one surprise after another. Stef had stopped _everything_ , yet somehow kept him hard as he led him by the hand to the shower--to wash him. His hands were erotic and thorough, slowly moving over every inch of him--and letting Daniel do the same.

It had been a long time since Daniel had been with anyone with hair on his chest. Wet, Stef's hair laid even flatter against his skin, revealing a pattern of growth like an erotic map. Daniel followed the trail with his tongue, seeking out nipples to bite, a navel to tease, a new cock to taste. The next surprise was in remembering the bars overhead when Stef told him to take hold of them and not let go for _any_ reason.

Disappearing for a moment, Stef said from outside the shower, "Close your eyes, Daniel, and keep them closed."

Without questioning that he was taking orders from a Dom, Daniel closed his eyes. He felt Stef's presence as he returned, heard him make a small growl in his throat that made Daniel smile. Then Stef brought another surprise when he asked, "How much pain do you like with sex, Daniel?"

The shock of the question had Daniel floundering. "I've never really thought about it."

He could feel Stef close to him now, his heat seemingly higher than the hot water that splashed against his body from the shower head.

"You like to be bitten," Stef told him, biting the fleshy underside of his right pec.

Daniel bit his lip and nodded, making a small moaning sound.

"You like to be pinched," Stef went on, pinching Daniel's nipples, rolling them back and forth between the fingers.

Daniel made another sound, nodding in answer.

"How much have you explored of your threshold?" he asked, pinching hard, then releasing, only to pinch yet again but much harder.

"No... not really," Daniel squirmed, and remembered Stef asking him not to let go of the bars. They became a sort of focus, as he held his weight with his hands, lifting his body every time Stef pinched. Soon his nipples were numb and his cock amazingly harder. Stef brushed against him with his body, making his balls ache.

"Stef," he whispered, "I can't feel anything."

"You will," Stef told him, his lips suddenly on Daniel's, kissing him lightly, teasingly, as a thumb rubbed over a nipple. A strange fire ran through him and Daniel was shown that his nipples were not, in fact, numb. _At all_.

He groaned loudly, his cock twitching as his nerve endings sang. "God," he said.

"Keep your eyes closed, Daniel," Stef advised, his voice deep and husky. It sent a chill through Daniel, already used to hearing the warning in the tone.

"What if I can't?" he asked.

"Then I'll have to blindfold you," Stef answered quietly.

Daniel stilled... then said, "Do it."

"You can't control yourself then?" Stef asked.

Daniel clenched his jaws, working them back and forth. "Yes, I can," he said finally, meeting Stef's challenge.

"Good," Stef said, breathing against his lips, "then I won't have to leave you," and he slipped his tongue into Daniel's mouth, kissing him passionately, winding him up even further.

The next thing Daniel knew was that his love of surprise was fed with something approaching alarm.

Stef twisted and rubbed his nipples for what seemed like endless minutes, concentrating only on that part of his body. When he stopped, there were seconds of nothing--then bright heat, a flare of pleasure and pain as Stef applied something slightly heavy to his nipples. The toys bounced slightly against his body; they were hard, and the pain-pleasure wouldn't allow Daniel to focus.

The next thing he knew, Stef was kissing him, pressing harder over whatever it was clamping his nipples--Daniel tore his mouth from the kiss, hips thrusting forward involuntarily, and he shook the bars above him in a death grip, trying to hold on.

"Fuckohfuck!" he cried out.

"Do you want me to stop?" Stef asked.

Resolutely, Daniel shook his head. "No! Ohfuckohfuck!"

Stef took hold of his face and kissed him deeply, rubbing only their cocks together. Daniel fought against the sudden threat of orgasm and tried to pull it back, to tell his balls to uncoil. When Stef released his mouth, his face, he gasped, "Fuck, what is that?"

"Clothespins. Do you like what they're doing to you?" Stef asked.

Like it? Daniel asked himself. He didn't like hard pain, and this was hard... _but_ it wasn't unbearable; it wasn't the _wrong_ sort of pain. "Yes," he breathed with astonishment. "Yes, I like it. God, I like it."

Stef kissed him again, passionately, moaning into his throat as his hands caressed up and down the sides of his body before moving down, drawing fingernails over his ribs. He grazed his teeth across Daniel's body as he dropped down, biting over a hip bone and inner thigh before licking a stripe up Daniel's cock and taking him into his mouth.

It didn't take Stef _too_ long but it seemed an eternity. The new combination of pleasure and pain brought Daniel his release, and when he came, he was surprised yet again when he realized that he was screaming Stef's name with _praise_.

**.**

Daniel couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He'd greyed out, coming back to full awareness with the knowledge that he now sat between Stef's legs before the beat of the shower. He could also feel something very distinctive against his back. Stef was still hard.

A surge went through Daniel--something like rebellion. It was a personal challenge, goaded by his need to give back, so without even the barest hint of what he was going to do, Daniel decided it was his turn to surprise Stef. Turning over, he pulled Stef onto his back, sliding him over the shower floor, and dropped down between his legs, taking his cock into his mouth.

He was enormously gratified by the shocked yell, by the hands in his hair, the thrusting, the words and whimpers and moans. But mostly... that Stef didn't resist. Daniel didn't need finesse or special technique; all he needed was his skillful mouth and one of his inquisitive fingers before he had Stef returning the favor and screaming his name as he pulsed forever down his throat.

**.**

"How do you feel?" Stef asked, finishing Daniel's back with the towel.

Daniel turned round. "Don't tell me you don't know."

Stef gave him a cheeky grin. "Well, I know you were pleased, but I mean the rest of it."

"Fine," Daniel said hesitantly, looking into Stef's eyes. He wasn't used to finding out new things without his lovers. "I feel good, Stef, but kind of incomplete without Jack and Jason."

"I understand," Stef said, nodding, scanning his face. "There's more to it than that, I think. What is it?"

"It's just I get the feeling that you didn't enjoy yourself as much as you let on."

Stef sighed and rubbed Daniel's arm. "I did, Daniel. Very much."

"But?"

Stef looked down, wiping up a stray droplet from Daniel's breastbone. "Emotionally, I feel as incomplete as you do."

Daniel palmed the cheek of this older, handsome face before him. "And... you want to be with him, not me, not Jason, but you do this for Jack, right?"

Stef frowned slightly and grabbed Daniel's hand, squeezing firmly. "Listen to me, Daniel. I never do anything I don't want to do. If I didn't want to have sex with you, I wouldn't have. Jack asked me if I might help, so I tried. I didn't need to turn it sexual. Do you understand?"

Daniel smirked, hiding the pleasure the words gave him. "I understand."

"I want to be with him, Daniel. There's no denying that. It'll end fifteen years of foreplay... so to speak."

Daniel gave him a strange smile, feeling an odd tug of protectiveness. He shook his head.

"What is it?"

With a sigh, Daniel answered, "Just my protectiveness, that's all. Listen, if Jack makes you feel the way he makes me feel, it'll have been worth the wait."

Stef's mouth twitched as he ran his fingers admiringly through Daniel's wet hair. "Don't worry. I don't plan on surprising Jack with anything. He doesn't like surprises, unless they're ones he's initiated."

Daniel smiled with relief. "I think you're right."

**.**

Three hours and a dinner meal later, Jack followed Stef down the path on the way to the guest house, looking over his shoulder as his lovers watched him with interest from the main house's front door. Like useless guard dogs or something, Jack thought.

Stef glanced at him and slowed to walk beside him. "Nervous, I take it?"

"Ya think?"

"I feel silly now, since I told Jason that you wouldn't be as nervous as he was."

"Calming him down, were you?"

"I succeeded I think." At Jack's wry expression, he added, "We'll be fine, Jack," Stef said softly and pointedly took Jack's hand in his, as if they were going for a stroll.

Jack resisted for a nanosecond, then squeezed his friend's hand and took a big breath. "Question is, is that good or bad?"

Stef paused, giving him a strange look, then led Jack into the house. When he turned right, not left, Jack pulled him to a stop. "Wait... aren't we going in _that room_?" Jack asked, waving toward the fetish room.

Stef inclined his head and smiled, pulling Jack toward the bedroom. "With you referring to it like that? I don't think so. Besides, for you and me... I think it's better in the bedroom."

Jack felt his own excitement growing, but he frowned, confused. "I thought," he said, looking over his shoulder at the fetish room door before crossing the threshold into the bedroom, "that we were supposed to... _whatever_... in there?"

Stef raised a brow. " _Whatever_?" He shook his head and said simply, "Jack."

Jack cleared his throat and stuffed his hands in his pockets as Stef led him to the bed and motioned him to sit down next to him. "Well... it's just... I thought... there are certain toys in there. This is about spanking, right?"

"Do you _want_ to delve into the active part of spanking right away or would you like to talk about it first?"

Jack rose, needing to pace to do his thinking, and found Stef had followed. His hands were on his arms, turning him around, stopping him.

" _Talk_ to me," Stef said quietly.

Jack gave Stef a long look. "This feels... weird."

Stef smiled gently at him and reached up to stroke his cheek. "Would it be easier if I did this first?" Sliding his hand behind his neck, he pulled Jack down as he tilted his face up to bring their mouths together in their first--ever--kiss. It was at that moment that Jack knew why being with Stef, in this manner, felt weird.

"This shouldn't be a reading," he murmured, pursing his lips. "You already know me."

"Yes, but not as I'd like, and you don't know me as well as you'd like. Let's start with that, shall we," and Stef kissed him firmly.

Jack felt the surge of adrenalin and opened his mouth as his arms went around Stef's waist, hauling him against him. He kissed Stef back, firm and hard, and deepened the kiss when he felt fingers moving through his hair and Stef's arm sliding up his back--his well-groomed nails scratching possessively through the shirt.

He was aware that Stef was leading them back to the bed, and then across the mattress. There was the surprise that Stef was the one on his back, drawing Jack over him. Jack felt the man's legs part, his own body falling perfectly between them, riding cock against cock, both of them hard. One hand sought out Stef's long hair while the other searched his body in hard caresses long overdue.

Breaking the kiss, Stef panted, looking up at him, then whispered, "Perfect," before he brought Jack back down into a hungry, demanding kiss.

Jack experienced a _high_ that he hadn't felt in a long time, not since he'd first been with Daniel and Jason on that one birthday ages ago--or so it seemed. He rolled over, pulling Stef on top of him, returning the scratching, finding skin as shirts were removed. They switched places again and again, taking turns who was on top, removing the rest of their clothing. Touch and taste were paramount. Stef's words about knowing each other came back to him as their bodies, at long last, rubbed naked together, learning.

Jack reached that certain plateau, where pleasure still rode high but leveled off, enough to dampen the urgency, to allow him to slow down and breathe, enough to allow them both to talk. With the nervousness and apprehension gone, Jack dipped down, lips and tongue not getting enough of the dark silky chest hair. It was a rush, feeling hair next to his own; not something he got with Jason and Daniel.

Stef laughed as Jack's nose tickled him and he pushed him off, creating half an arm's distance as they lay on their sides. "I take it there's no more nervousness?"

"This... was what I needed, Stef."

"I know. It's what we both needed. I've kept my distance on purpose but no longer."

"Why?" Jack had to ask.

"Because..." Stef began, taking a deep breath. "I want to keep you in bed all day, all night. I want you here until we get sick of each other."

"That could take a while," Jack grinned, passing a fingertip over Stef's lips, and grinning wider as Stef caught it between his teeth and bit gently.

"Let it take a while. You have the time."

"But what about Daniel and Jason? Malcolm?" Jack asked, frowning--but the frown was guilty, because he wanted what Stef wanted. To get sick of him.

"I'd welcome them to join us... but later. I've looked forward to _this_ for a long time," and he took Jack's cock in his hand, loving how Jack kept his eyes on his while he thrust distractedly through Stef's fingers. "And by the way, any talk of spanking is an added benefit. I can show you things, and we can discuss them, but I want that in bed."

"Agreed," Jack said as he brushed his knuckles over Stef's erection. "Although if you make me feel anything like that expression you gave Daniel, I'm likely going to respond with babbling."

Stef snickered. "I hope not. Right now, I want to do things to arouse you, new things. If you don't like them, you tell me. If you want more, you can have it. Will that do you?"

"That'll do me fine," Jack answered with a cheeky grin at the double entendre. He was so caught up with the joke and the arousal, in fact, that he didn't pay attention to what Stef was up to.

"Now, just do me a favor and relax some more. Close your eyes."

Jack grinned suspiciously. "What're you up to?"

"Close your eyes, Jack. Leave the rest to me."

Taking a deep breath, Jack closed his eyes. It felt good as Stef passed his hand over his ass, moving slowly in long, sweeping caresses. Stef scooted closer, groin to groin, and kept caressing his ass and the backs of his thighs, occasionally slipping between them like an illicit grope. He nuzzled Jack's face, his lips, his throat, licking thin stripes along his jaw, nipping once in a while.

When the slap came on his right buttock, Jack's body stiffened with surprise, his eyes went round as dinner plates, and inside, he felt the _very_ specific burn of pleasure spreading from his ass, over his thighs, his balls, and up his dick and spine. Hell, even his fingers started tingling.

Stef watched him, eyelids slightly lowered in concentration as his hand rubbed the affected skin. "You liked that."

"Yes."

"More?"

"Yes."

Stef kissed him, teasing with the briefest bit of tongue and Jack kissed him harder, diving in after it. Laughing softly and separating enough to speak, Stef said, "Good," and followed it with a slap on the other cheek, grinning wickedly at him when Jack thrust.

Jack's mind was suddenly distracted with a strange thought. _Naughty boy_.

It was a guilty feeling. A fun feeling. Like stealing Daniel's Oreos and blaming it on Jason. Jack started to snigger and Stef's smile turned suspicious.

"What're you thinking?"

"Of being naughty."

Stef grinned broadly at him. "Really?"

"Yes, except," and Jack paused, giving Stef his filthiest smile as he pushed him on his back and rolled on top of him. "This time, it wasn't about _me_ , but you."

From below, Stef rubbed Jack's ass with his hands before he slapped again. It wasn't hard, given his position, but Jack jerked his body anyway. "How do you feel?"

Jack hesitated as he pushed up, locking his elbows as he rocked his hips, creating a rhythm as he rubbed against Stef's body.

"Truth?"

"Of course, Jack. Don't hold back."

"When you do that..." he managed as Stef spread his legs wide, both hands coming down hard on Jack's ass. "I want... you to do that while I fuck you."

Stef's eyes closed slowly as he groaned. "We'll get there," he whispered, "but first..." and he rolled them to the side before moving and getting to his knees, biting Jack's nipple when he groaned a complaint. "I'm having fun with your reactions. How much you like doing this. So, I ask again, how do you feel?"

"I like it," Jack shrugged, rolling onto his stomach. He crossed his arms and rested his head on them. "But I need more."

"You're certain?" Stef asked, straddling the back of Jack's knees and massaging his thighs and ass.  Jack groaned and nodded assent. "Then let's see how you like this."

Stef massaged and slapped his ass and thighs, repeating time and again, barely using any force but the sensitivity of Jack's skin became tender, the color bright pink. Jack began to squirm, rubbing his cock into the bed, and Stef needed to see him react more. Separating his cheeks, and with three spit-slick fingers, he slapped the puckered muscle. Jack's reaction was perfect so Stef did it again and again. Ass cheeks blushing red and anus sensitive to touch, Stef spread him again and leaned down, flicking his tongue over the contracting muscle.

Jack groaned and buried his face into the gathered quilt, arms surrounding his head, hands fisting tightly in the material. He began to rub into the bed, growling when Stef would back off. He was in heaven, spreading his legs to feel more, to give access. He felt Stef move away and heard the bedside drawer open and close. He knew what was coming but he wanted to fuck him, too.

"And after?" he asked, reminding Stef.

"As hard as you want," Stef promised. "And that goes for me, too."

"Yes," Jack hissed with lust, pulling at the back of Stef's thigh when the man drew near enough.

"You don't even know what I'm going to do," Stef responded with amusement, regaining his balance when Jack's impatience nearly forced him to collapse on top of him.

"You'd better be planning to fuck me as hard as you just said," Jack snarled.

"My, my," Stef whispered, teasing. "This _does_ work you up, doesn't it?"

Jack started to turn over, grabbing at him, but Stef stopped him, one hand on Jack's hip. "What if I'm not planning to fuck you?" he asked, rubbing a lubed thumb in circles over Jack's entrance.

Jack lifted his ass, despite the pressure on one hip, and groaned, "Feels like you are."

"And if I plan to fuck you only with my thumb?" he asked and slipped his thumb inside while his free hand came down on a butt cheek.

Jack bucked, twice. Once at the slap, once at the pressure of Stef's thumb as he rubbed down, finding the small, hard dome inside. Stef repeated his slap and caress several times until Jack could've sworn the heat matched both inside and out. He couldn't keep from twitching at every sensation, but he somehow refrained from cursing, yelling at the man to give him what he'd fantasized about for years.

And yet, Stef _was_ giving him what he'd wanted, and only now was Jack realizing that. Clutching fistfuls of comforter underneath, he gave into accepting only what he got at the moment, trying not to focus on anything else to come. When his balls were slapped ever so lightly, however, he jumped and felt the pre-come leak from his cock as if he were having a small orgasm. Hell, for all he knew, he was. It felt too good, too familiar.

When Stef pulled his thumb from his ass, Jack thought this was it. It was time. But Stef only leaned against the backs of this wide-spread legs and began to caress his skin instead, from back to ass. Jack twitched again and again, his skin now over-sensitive. He gave into that, too, certain that Stef meant to drag this out... until he felt the hot, blunt nudge of a lubed cock push past the barriers in a firm stroke that stole the breath from him.

He dropped his forehead to the bed, groaning as Stef pulled back and pushed in, concentrating on the nerves of his anus and not the duller sensation further inside. He could feel Stef leaning over him, angling his body, and then came the hot feel of his cockhead riding over his gland. He moaned loudly, gripping the blanket tighter, bracing himself for the hard fucking he thought would come... he hoped would come. But Stef had other plans.

Jack was fucked excruciatingly slowly, and the only part of Stef that touched him, aside from his cock, were his thighs planted behind his own, keeping him spread, and his hands at Jack's waist. He wished there were a mirror in front of him, so that he could see what Stef looked like; so that he could watch.

A moment later, Jack forgot all about that. Stef increased the rhythm, moving deeper, occasionally slapping his burning ass and thighs. Jack marvelled at the way his body trembled, thinking he'd only ever get that feeling from his lovers. Stef was giving him everything, that much was certain. Jack tried to give back, to meet the thrusts, but Stef kept control... and Jack let him have it. Stef seemed to feel it, know it, and he sped up using short, rapid strokes, creating the only sound next to the harsh panting that filled the room.

There was a sound, a hitched gasp... and it was one Jack recognized. It came from _Jason_ and it was the exact sound he made when he was being fucked and his orgasm came by surprise. Jack lifted his head and looked to his right.

"They've been watching us for a while," Stef whispered, thrusting harder, quicker. Jack knew they were heading off that certain cliff the moment he caught sight of his lovers through the bedroom doorway, in front of the main doors, watching Stef fuck him.

It was different. With Alex, he'd been the one fucking. But this was Stef fucking him, and his lovers were so getting off on it. Just as Jack was getting off on their watching him. God, with Jason on his hands and knees, and Daniel behind him, matching Stef's rhythm, fucking Jason for all he was worth.

Jack couldn't be annoyed that they hadn't left him alone; he knew they had to see, just as he would have under similar circumstances--as he _had_ , with Jason and Alex. Partly for protectiveness, but mostly because it was fucking _hot_ to watch. And now, just as hot to see them fucking and watching him.

The thought came, of being fucked like this while Stef watched. Memories came back, and all of it combined to drop Jack into the chasm. He arched, throwing his head back, feeling his orgasm explode, spreading through him, bolts of pleasure pulsing endlessly.

There was the barest awareness that Stef was lying over him, biting his shoulder as he came, and Jack felt a surge of pleasure and smug pride.

Afterglow slowed time down, as it always seemed to do. Jack lay on his side, facing the door, eyes blurry and only just able to see that his lovers were slumped on the floor in the next room, all boneless limbs.

Behind him, Stef felt just like that, and Jack smiled.

**.**

"How was it?"

Jack lay on his back, dozing. Sometimes he'd wake, stare at the ceiling, think of absolutely nothing, and close his eyes again.

Stef's question roused him and he groaned, not wanting to answer, preferring to lie there and sleep. But the question made him aware of his body now, and how his skin tingled and his ass burned in that good way. He turned his head and gave Stef a smile. "Good."

Stef smiled back, pleased. "I'm glad. Anything else you'd like to experiment with?"

"I'm good," Jack replied, seeking out Stef's skin with his fingers, caressing a 'thank you.'

"Me, too," Stef said as he laid his head down and closed his eyes, then with a devious smile, added, "For now."

**.**

Jack found it amusing that his lovers took to Stef like ducks to water. Just as he had all those years ago. Except now it was better, Jack mused as he set about fixing breakfast the next morning. Inevitable. Educational and inspirational, too.

He started slightly as Daniel, Jason, and Stef came into the kitchen, each coming up to give him a kiss on the neck or the shoulder, though Stef lingered, holding Jack about the waist from behind.

"Something on your mind?" Jack asked, whisking the eggs.

Stef leaned in, one hand around Jack's right wrist -- the one with the whisk -- and his lips against his ear. "I think it's a good day to show you the many artful uses of kitchen implements."

"Careful!" Jack deflected as his own surprise caused whipped egg to slosh onto the counter.

Snickering, Daniel grabbed a paper towel to wipe it up and winked at Stef when Jason growled. He'd bet them that Stef's suggestion would surprise Jack. Jason had been the only one to bet opposite and he'd just lost.

"Toldja," Daniel taunted.

Jason went to a drawer and pulled out a clean spatula, waving it threateningly. "You are hereby designated as the object d'art for Stef's Lesson Number One:   _How to get Daniel fucked and spanked stupid over the butcher block in five easy steps_."

Daniel's eyes went round as the three men stared at him. "You... wouldn't."

The hell they wouldn't. All Daniel had to do now was decide whether or not to say yes by staying exactly where he was.

Like there was actually a chance he'd say no?   


  


****_"Some day when we're dreaming,_  
deep in love, not a lot to say,  
then we will remember  
things we said today."

 

The next few days were strangely unremarkable--not that sex was ever unremarkable between them. The day before their departure, they sat on the front deck, chilling in the shade from a particularly warm winter's day. Stef had left them earlier, telling them that it was time to see to Malcolm's needs now that his migraine had ceased.

Jason and Daniel had _thought_ they'd known what Stef had meant until Stef and Malcolm approached from the dock path.

Jack shifted a little, clearing his throat.

"What?" Daniel asked.

"Just remembering," Jack replied, and it was obvious that he wasn't going to explain further, but he didn't need to. Jack's ass cheeks had been sensitive for three days.

As Stef and his partner passed, Stef suddenly looked over his shoulder, then paused and passed his hand lovingly over Malcolm's ass. "I'll be there shortly," he said quietly and Malcolm walked on ahead, a slightly embarrassed flush to his face as he looked back at the trio on the deck.

Stef approached and Daniel pointed in Malcolm's direction. "Is he your Sub?"

"Yeah, Malcolm's my Sub," he said casually as he went to the edge of the dock in front of the guys and pulled out a clear vinyl CD sleeve from the pocket of his shorts before sitting down.

Jack frowned, interrupting. "Wait, I thought you said he was just a friend."

"No, I said he was _a_ friend, Jack, and he is. But he's also my Sub on occasion."

"On occasion?" Jack went on.

"He has other needs I don't practice, so he goes to another friend of mine for those."

"May I ask what those are?" Jason said, curious.

"His business, Jason, sorry."

"Right, but I thought I'd ask. No offense."

"None taken. Those in the lifestyle tend to be even more private than those outside of it."

"Gotcha. You wanted to ask us something...or?"

Stef smiled. "You'd make a good reader, Jason, if you ever decided to become a Dom. Daniel, too."

Daniel smirked at Jason's look of surprise. "That's all he needs," he joked, winking at Jason.

"You're one to talk," Jason teased back. "So, what is it, Stef?"

"A request. I wanted to ask that we have our privacy. Normally, I wouldn't mind the audience, because I think everyone new deserves a good look... so to speak. But Malcolm is very private, so I'll have the blinds closed. As you know, I haven't sound-proofed the room, so if you hear something, don't get curious enough to come take a peek. So, if you would stay here?"

"Our voyeurism doesn't involve violation of privacy," Jack explained quickly as he and his lovers agreed.

Stef nodded. "I know, but you didn't know this about Malcolm, so I thought I'd give you a head's up."

"No problem," Jack answered.

"Mind if I ask a question?" Daniel asked.

"Go ahead," Stef answered with an expectant grin.

"Is Malcolm's ankle tattoo called a brand?" Jack and Jason's brows shot up. They hadn't thought of that even as they'd looked at the tattooed chain around his right ankle.

Stef grinned and stood up, brushing the CD sleeve with his thumb, like a caress, as if using it to focus, but his eyes were on the three men. "Not in this case. He's not my slave, Daniel. This one denotes a certain type of understanding between a Dom and Sub, but one that signifies a reciprocal emotional bond, which is why it goes all the way around the ankle so there are no broken links." He turned away, and with an amused glance back, added, "I'll be occupied the rest of the day but I'll be available tonight if you need me for... anything." He paused, then handed it to Jack.

"What's this?" Jack asked, looking at the disc inside with curiosity.

"This is you," he said with an enigmatic smile. "Have a good afternoon gentlemen." He proceeded down the path, looking over his shoulder once, giving a two-fingered wave over his brow, like a salute.

Daniel frowned and looked at Jack. "You picked that up from Stef."

Jack grinned a shrug as he looked at the disc, wondering what it was on it. He was about to suggest they go find out when Daniel interrupted.

Twisting his ring around his pinky, Daniel asked, "Did you guys notice that he avoided answering whether or not that tattoo was _his_?"

Jack nodded; so did Jason. "His business," Jack said with a shrug.

Daniel took a deep breath. "Yeah. Speaking of that business, I was going to ask you two if you think we should get something like that tattoo but..."  He held up his left pinky, showing his trefoil ring--one of the three Jason had gotten from his grandfather. "I don't think I need to."

Grinning with agreement, Daniel's lovers hooked their fingers with his.

Breaking off, Jack stood and waved the CD sleeve at them. "Let's go check out the CD."

In the bedroom, they found it wasn't a video but an audio CD. One song. Jack frowned, listening. "That's supposed to be us?"

Jason smiled widely, staring unfocused as he listened. "Oh yeah. That's us, alright. Man's brilliant."

"Who is that?" Jack asked.

"You don't like it?" Daniel asked.

"I like it fine. It's just that I never figured Stef for a romantic."

"More than a romantic, Jack," Daniel said, and hunted down the full CD in the stereo cabinet. Handing it to him, he said, "Read the lyrics. Stef was right in that this song is you, and while he may have meant us as a whole, I think this song _is_ you."

"Oh, c'mon, Daniel--"

"You know, if you need help comprehending the words, I can probably manage a translation."

Jack cuffed him. "This coming from a man who has trouble understanding The Simpsons."

"Only Patti and Selma, because I don't get the MacGyver references."

"You had trouble with the time travel references."

"Who doesn't?"

**.**

They weren't scheduled to leave till late that afternoon, but that morning, Stef invited Daniel for a walk on the beach and Daniel found himself distracted by whatever was on the man's mind. What else could he possibly want to talk about? he asked himself. After a few minutes of small talk and listening to the ocean and the few gulls, Stef turned to him, the dark blue of his eyes looking troubled, hesitant. Daniel kept himself from reading why.

"What is it? I know you brought me down here for a reason."

Stef swallowed. "Remember the issue of force we'd talked about?"

"Yeah, I have some vague recollection," Daniel replied, that half-smile appearing.

Now was the time, Stef ordered himself. He took a deep breath and rubbed his lips together before saying carefully, "Outside of your relationship and those others you trust, the use of force is a particularly _sensitive_ issue, wouldn't you agree?"

Daniel frowned at him, hating the sudden drop in his stomach and the shift from relaxed tension into the defensive. He suddenly knew without reading Stef what the man meant. Daniel colored with embarrassment and leftover shame, shifting uncomfortably. "There's a great deal of difference, Stef, between force and what I think you're alluding to, and I don't think that this is a fruitful line of discussion."

He turned abruptly on his heel and started to walk away, but suddenly stopped. He was so tired of running. Turned swiftly, feeling the anger well up, he crossed his arms and spat out, "How the hell did you pick up on _that_? Jason and Jack would _never_ have said anything."

Stef cleared his throat, hating himself for bringing up the subject, but he felt he had to. He went to Daniel and touched his elbow, careful not to touch him anywhere else until the protective walls Daniel just threw up around himself were taken back down.

"I'm sorry, Daniel, but I mention this because I think I had to."

Daniel turned away with a snort of disgust. "I don't know what kind of game this is--"

"Daniel, you know this isn't a game. I wanted to let you know that if you were ever willing to talk, you could talk to me. If you ever need an ear, if you ever need any... help..."

"Who are you to say I need help?" Daniel asked as he stared out at the ocean.

"Daniel, look at me. Please." He hated himself even more for the hard reflection that was now in Daniel's eyes as the man turned and looked at him.

Daniel took a deep breath, stuffing down his anger. He wondered for a moment if the pain in Stef's eyes was out of guilt. Without thinking, he stretched out with his mind and touched Stef's emotional core. A second later, he took a step back in horrified shock.

"You?"

Stef nodded slowly, frowning, wondering just what exactly Daniel had seen. The man couldn't possibly be telepathic. Empathically intuitive? Interesting. And very rare. "You've a special gift for insight, Daniel. Yes. A long time ago. I never told Jack. There was no reason to. I never meant to imply that you needed help, it's just that I've been through it and I sense that certain kind of loneliness in thinking you're alone with your feelings. Jason and Jack have never been... well, brutalized like that, anyway. I don't think you can talk to them because they'll only get mad and overprotective, right?"

Daniel nodded but said nothing.

"What happened with me was especially hard for someone with my temperament. Can you imagine the conflict and emotional impact for a Dom who's been raped?"

Daniel studied him closely, not believing anyone could ever... but... everyone was vulnerable under the right circumstances. The thought sent a cold shiver through him and his throat closed for a moment.

"I think so. Can you imagine being raped by a woman much smaller than you are?" he asked slowly.

Stef was careful not to show the wrong sort of surprise. "Drugged?" he asked.

Daniel snorted with sour amusement. "You're as astute as I am, it seems. Yes, drugged. How did you know about the...?"

"They didn't tell me."

"No, I didn't think they had."

"Body language, Daniel. Are you aware that aside from the possessiveness you show toward Jack and Jason, that you also show a distancing from everyone else?" Daniel shook his head slowly, but as if he weren't sure. "You put up walls that tell people to _back off_. You self-hug, and while that could be from abandonment issues, yours is deeper than that. It's the way you hold yourself."

Strangely, Daniel felt himself relax as he became aware of the tension in his body... and the fact that he was now self-hugging himself. He folded his arms again.

"You have to have something in your hands at all times, don't you?"

"What?" Daniel asked, as if he'd had his mind read. He wanted to ask how Stef had seen that, but he didn't need to. He knew. "I hug or cross my arms. I gesture with my hands as I talk. And I always have to fiddle with _something_. It... could just be my nervous disposition, or the fact that I'm a caffeine addict, but..." He gave Stef a sheepish look. "I guess it's more than that isn't it?" Without thinking he shoved his hands in his front pockets, hands forming fists, tightening the fabric but creating a protective _tent_.

It told Stef that what had happened hadn't been that long ago. "How long ago?"

"Six years," Daniel said, glancing once at him before searching for the sea again.

Stef sighed and reached out, brushing two fingers along Daniel's bicep, withdrawing when Daniel tensed, but was pleasantly surprised when Daniel abruptly turned and grabbed his hand as if in apology. "Jack's a very tactile man," Stef observed. "I'm surprised that you allowed him his friendly touches, even after. It says a lot about your strength."

Daniel shook his head. "I was forced to deal, that's all."

Stef allowed a smile, trying to gentle Daniel down from his anger. "So was I. I think I brought this up because you remind me too much of the way I used to be. You do the same things I used to do and still do."

"Is there anything else that gives me away?" Daniel asked sarcastically.

"Gives you away?" Stef asked. "No. I see it because I've trained myself to see it. You know, at first, a long time ago, I learned how to read body language as a defense mechanism from this. The only other thing I see right now is that you keep yourself at a slight angle instead of facing someone straight on--that applies to people you don't trust. It's a martial stance, used by many in the defensive arts. I don't think anyone would notice that if they weren't already knowledgeable about body language. I'm not surprised that Jason and Jack haven't picked up on it. They tend to avoid thinking in that direction."

Daniel winced, agreeing. "My fault--"

"No," Stef cut him off quickly, taking his arm more firmly and even more gratified when Daniel didn't pull away. It meant he trusted him. " _Not_ your fault. You have every right to deal with the trauma however you see fit. To have dealt with it as well as you have shows, as I said, a surprising strength. I'm offering help only because I share it, and because I hope you haven't repressed all the anger. Were you ever able to talk about it?"

Daniel stared at him. "What do you think?"

Stef frowned. "Not even with Jason and Jack?"

"Later on, yeah, I've talked about it, but I've never discussed what actually happened because I can't. Not without feeling this tremendous anger, this urge to..."

Stef inclined his head in understanding. "To kill."

Daniel breathed in deeply through his nose. "It's been six years. You'd think I'd stop thinking about violence whenever I think about what she did, or when it happens to someone else."

"Look at me," Stef asked gently and Daniel turned to him finally. "It's been twenty-five years for me, Daniel. I _still_ get mad enough to kill. Maybe it's because I never had anyone to talk to. I wouldn't mind talking to you... if you're willing, that is. I won't blame you if you choose not to. I'm just saying that if you ever want to, get a hold of me any time, okay?"

Daniel studied him for a long silent moment and knew that Stef was quite serious. He felt the sympathy and almost-love for him coming from... _his friend_. The man was so gifted, especially after knowing what he'd been through. Daniel didn't want to ask what had happened. He didn't need to. Ever. "Thanks," he said finally and reached out, took Stef's hand in his, and pulled him into an embrace that seemed to last forever.

When they parted, Stef said, "Talk to them?"

Daniel shrugged. "What good will it do? They're overprotective enough."

"They will understand and give you the emotional strength you need. I don't know the details about Jason's traumas, but Jack's been close enough. Trust them."

"I trust them, Stef," Daniel admonished.

"You hold back. Trust them."

Grudgingly, Daniel gave him a single nod and Stef took his hand and kissed the palm. "Good. Now let's finish our walk, shall we?"

On the lookout above, Jack watched worriedly, smiling when they hugged. Jason startled him a little when he grabbed his hand and dragged him away. "Whatever the reason Stef asked him down there, we'll find out soon enough. Stop hovering."

"Like you're not as bad," Jack countered, following Jason into the main house.

"From what I saw," Jason went on finally, not letting go of Jack's hand, "Daniel wasn't altogether happy with whatever Stef was talking to him about."

"No," Jack mused, his worry lines showing. "But it looked okay there at the end. Whatever it was, I think he was helping Daniel." He shrugged helplessly, hating it that he wasn't the one who was on the giving end of that.

"Agreed," Jason replied slowly, reading Jack's face. "Demons."

Jack tried to pull away but Jason wouldn't let him, making his lover face him. "I can pretty much guess what kind," Jack said eventually.

Jason's eyes became dark with concern, like Jack's. "Hathor."

"Yeah. I... wasn't there for him. I didn't know how to be."

Jason sighed, rubbing Jack's knuckles with his free hand. "Which means that perhaps Stef has more of an understanding than we do. We've come close, Jack, but not that close."

"Yeah," Jack said sadly. "We can be there this time though... if he lets us."

"If he lets us."

When Stef and Daniel returned, Daniel caught his lovers' worried looks from the kitchen as they prepared a light afternoon snack. "At home, I promise," was all he said as he walked in to help. When they simply nodded acceptance and went on about their business, not smothering him, Daniel felt a great weight fall from his shoulders.

Behind him, Stef smiled and winked at Jack. Everything would be fine.

**.**

Meeting Stef on the dock, Jason, Jack, and Daniel said their goodbyes rather awkwardly; they didn't want to leave.

Jason was first and he gave the man a hug before stepping back. Before he moved away, Stef held out his hand, presenting Jason with a book. Jason took it and stared at it, the cover showing a nude, kneeling body, bound artfully with rope. He looked up at Stef questioningly.

"If you ever decide to venture into bondage that doesn't require sex, I suggest you try the Japanese art of rope bondage. However, you can't do this without a knowledgeable person so give me a call and I'll see if I can't arrange a visit. There are a few people you could call, of course, but you need a lot of trust established for this sort of thing."

"If I need you or another experienced teacher, then what's the purpose of the book?"

"To familiarize yourself and see if it's something you'd like to try."

Jason liked the knotwork but... without sex? He couldn't see the point, but he took Stef's advice to heart anyway. One never knew. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Turning away, Jason headed toward the plane, now tied once more against the dock after Stef had moved the yacht further out.

Daniel stepped up and hugged Stef before he was ready--and hugged him tight. "You'll talk to them?" he asked Daniel quietly.

"I will."

"And me, anytime, remember?"

"I'll take you up on that."

"Good," and Stef hugged him hard, then let him go. But like Jason, he handed Daniel something. A bag. "A little something for you and your guys." His grin was wicked and Daniel knew that Stef had filled the bag with his privately-made requests. Daniel smiled back and followed Jason to the plane.

Lastly, Jack came up to him, having stood a respectful (and non-hovering) distance away. Stef grinned at him. "I'll come for a visit. How's that?"

Jack nodded slowly. "Except you won't be able to do so with the element of surprise. You may just catch us out."

"I know, I remember." He handed Jack a bag as well. A small, red tote. Inside were a few paddles, along with some other items, one of them being a leather flogger. The imagined sting it would give sent a body tingle over Jack's skin. "Thanks," he said quietly.

The silence was strange, the goodbye even more awkward, then Stef suddenly pulled Jack's head down and kissed him roughly and hungrily. When he let him go, Jack saw the emotion in his friend's eyes.

"Stef, I'll be fine."

"Make sure you stay that way, and your lovers as well."

Jack couldn't help but grin. "They're a handful, but I'll try."

"A damn lucky handful," Stef told him quietly before kissing him again and letting him go.

**.**

"Okay, got the gear stowed. Let's go," Daniel said, shutting the passenger door behind him. He casually set down the bag that Stef had given him between the pilot seats as he went to his own seat, but there was nothing casual in the reason for leaving the bag unzipped and open.

Jack and Jason peered into it--taking in the assortment of toys and accessories. With a look over their shoulders, they caught the wicked gleam in Daniel's eyes as he buckled in.

"Jack, you think we could get a few more days out of Hammond?" Jason asked as he got up, picked up the bag, zipped it up, and shoved it under Daniel's seat, eyeing him with an unspoken promise as he handed Daniel the book Stef had given him.

Jack's mind was still whirling with the image of a glass dildo. "Oh, not a chance in hell."

"But that's something we can definitely work around."

"That's the plan," Jack said with a bit of anticipation. A few seconds later, his tone altered, his expression becoming a different version of serious as he picked up the radio mic. "Let's get this tub off the water. Jace, check the gauges..."

Behind them, Daniel watched his lovers go through their pre-flight procedures, he went over the last thirty days--indeed, the last three years. Smiling to himself, he couldn't imagine having anything better in his life than exactly what he had.

 

 

End

 


End file.
